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Trees for Life, Arbor Day Foundation, FIFA and the City of Toronto Join to Host Tree Planting Event Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™
TORONTO, ON: May 19, 2026 – As buzz continues to build ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Trees for Life and the Arbor Day Foundation have joined FIFA to bring lasting environmental impact to the City of Toronto. Together, the collaboration will host a community tree planting event at Biidaasige Park to build on the local tree canopy of the new park (opened in 2025), and bring long‑term environmental benefits to the surrounding area.
On Saturday, May 30, City of Toronto, Trees for Life and the Arbor Day Foundation will lead community volunteers in planting 500 trees and shrubs. These trees will help address local environmental priorities such as habitat for wildlife, helping to stabilize the banks of the new river, mitigating the effects of severe storms and providing shade and cooling for anyone using the park.
“Trees for Life is dedicated to planting trees in the urban environments where Canadians live, work and play – ensuring communities can experience the many benefits of trees now and for generations to come,” said Marina Dimitriadis, Executive Director, Trees for Life. “We’re excited to be in Toronto working alongside incredible partners at the City of Toronto and the Arbor Day Foundation and joining FIFA to make this project possible, enhancing local green space while supporting long-term environmental resilience for the community.”
This planting event is part of a broader FIFA effort connecting large-scale reforestation with community-based projects across the 16 cities in North America hosting this summer’s international soccer tournament. In Canada, the Arbor Day Foundation and Trees for Life will help rally volunteers to support the event, and build greener, healthier communities to ensure the energy of the tournament lives on long after the final match.
The Canadian plantings kicked off on Earth Day in Richmond, B.C., where a Miyawaki forest – also known as a mini forest – was planted at Terra Nova Park, adding 600 trees, shrubs and plants to strengthen flood resiliency and help counter rising temperatures in the low-lying coastal region.
The initiative is designed to deliver a positive environmental legacy by addressing specific regional needs across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, ranging from disaster recovery and landscape restoration to enhancing biodiversity and watershed resilience.
“As excitement grows ahead of this summer’s tournament, it’s so inspiring to get to work with local communities and harness that momentum to create something meaningful and lasting,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The trees planted here in Toronto will benefit families, neighborhoods, and ecosystems long after the tournament has ended — and that’s a legacy worth celebrating.”
Since 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has led efforts to restore forests and increase urban canopy in more than 60 countries, helping plant more than 600 million trees through its global network of members, supporters, and partners like Trees for Life. This project is another example of how local organizations and community members can help drive environmental resilience through the power of trees. To learn more about Arbor Day Foundation’s work, visit arborday.org/summerofsoccer2026.
WHY BIIDAASIGE PARK and FUN FACTS
- The selection of Biidaasige Park is a way to continue the intensive tree planting that had already been done in other parts of the park and completes the overall vision.
- The tree species have been selected to fit into and compliment the new, naturalized landscape and provide benefits to visitors to the park and the natural surroundings.
- Biidaasige park is a unique, one-of-a-kind park intentionally designed and constructed to re-naturalize the Don River mouth and demonstrate sustainable, resilient solutions to current environmental issues.
Trees for Life & the Arbor Day Foundation 2026 Partnership
This planting is part of the line-up of five urban revitalization projects co-led by Trees For Life and the Arbor Day Foundation, with a mini forest planted in Richmond, BC on Earth Day, and upcoming plantings in Calgary and Edmonton, AB. The partnership launched with a successful 2025 pilot project with their partners, adding 2,400 new trees in Calgary and Montreal.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.
all images supplied by Trees For Life
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