City partners with distilleries to plant 40 trees in community

Thanks to a $6,000 donation from Heaven Hill Distilleries and a partnership with Black Velvet Distilling Company, 40 trees were planted in Lethbridge’s Palliser Park today. It was all part of a sustainability project. By 2030, Heaven Hill hopes to plant about 5000 trees in local communities. The director of Environment and Sustainability for Heaven Hill Distilleries, Rachel Nally, says they have planted about 100 trees so far.

“We have planted trees in Louisville Kentucky which is where our company is based, and now we are starting to branch out into the other communities where folks live and work, and so here we are in Lethbridge. Trees help that do things like absorb carbon dioxide that helps with climate change, that absorbs air pollution from the road behind us ,and helps filter stormwater pollutants,” said Rachel Nally, Director of Environment and Sustainability for Heaven Hill Distilleries.

The Parks Planning Manager for the city of Lethbridge says this afternoon’s tree planting was an opportunity to expand the city’s urban forests.

“It’s just a great way to build community, build corporate relationships, and not just rely on just the city for planting trees but getting corporate involvement, and really just expanding the environmental benefits of our urban forests,” said Chris Witkowski, Parks Planning Manager for the City of Lethbridge.

About 44 volunteers took part in the planting in Palliser Park.