Celebration Forest

Richmond Hill's Community Tree Dedication Program offers residents the opportunity to donate and dedicate a planted tree to celebrate life events such as birthdays, anniversaries and weddings, honour important individuals and connect with nature in the City’s parks and open spaces.

Note that as of spring 2022, the Celebration Forest located at Phyllis Rawlinson Park has reached capacity and the goal of creating a commemorative forest has been achieved. While this location is no longer accepting requests for tree dedications, there are many other parks to choose from.

Details

• A tree dedication costs $450. Every donor receives a certificate noting the tree donation and dedication.
• Once an application and payment has been received and approved, City staff will arrange the tree planting.
• Trees are planted in the spring or fall. The species and location are determined by staff unless specified by the donor. 
• Richmond Hill does not place or allow installation of any physical markers or ornaments on these trees. A map and GPS coordinates will be provided once the tree has been planted.
• Over time, trees planted will contribute to a collective forest community within each park. This will improve the quality of the urban forest while contributing to habitat for wildlife. 

What types of trees are planted?

You can choose from the following trees to commemorate your gift:

Planting Season and Important Dates

Applications received by April 15, will be scheduled for spring planting. Applications received by September 15, will be scheduled for fall planting, pending species selection.

Please note: Tree dedications will be recognized for the life-cycle of the park where it is located, which is generally up to 30 years. While the City aims to protect the tree through the park redevelopment process, we cannot guarantee that the tree will be preserved at the end of the life cycle of the park. The parks selection list is reviewed annually to avoid any redevelopment conflicts.

How to Apply

To be eligible for the spring planting season, applications must be submitted by April 15 of that year. Fall planting season applications must be submitted by September 15. Applications received after these deadlines will be included in the planting for the following season.

There are two ways to apply:

• Apply and pay online. Note that online applications must be paid by credit card (Visa or Mastercard) and a convenience fee of 2.6% will be added to the total fee at checkout.  

Celebration Forest Dedication Application Form

•  Apply via hard copy application. Email naturalenvironment@richmondhill.ca to obtain a copy of the form. 

Why should I donate a tree?

Trees and woodlands throughout our community are an essential component of our urban infrastructure contributing to a high quality of life in Richmond Hill. Collectively, they help make our community healthy and resilient in countless ways including cleaning the air and water, reducing flood risk, conserving energy, counteracting urban heat stress and increasing property values. Your gift will make a difference for many years.
Having a tree planted in the Celebration Forest is a thoughtful and environmentally-friendly way to celebrate a special event or the life of someone special.

Together, We Have Achieved so Much

The Celebration Forest at Phyllis Rawlinson Park, has served as the site for countless commemorations for loved ones and special occasions since 2002. City staff have been thrilled to see the program grow and expand over the years and would like thank all participants who have contributed to the collective forest community within the park. The Celebration Forest has now reached capacity and the goal of creating a Celebration Forest has been achieved. Collectively, Richmond Hill residents have helped to improve the quality of the urban forest and added countless environmental benefits. We look forward to continue providing these benefits throughout additional parks City-wide.