Peterborough Green-Up

Peterborough Green-Up is a non-profit environmental organization located in Peterborough, Ontario. The non-partisan group, founded in 1991, delivers a variety of environmental programs and services to the Peterborough area.
The organization's early momentum, as a project funded by the federal Environmental Partners Fund, with limited resources, attracted the attention of the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy. Through the Ministry's Green Communities Initiative, Green-Up was granted larger scale three-year funding in March 1993.
Water Programs
Peterborough Green-Up is a partner in the Lakeland Alliance, a collaborative group of government agencies, cottage owners associations and others working to promote conservation, sustainable living and naturalized shorelines in the Kawartha Lakes.
Green-Up delivers the Well Aware program locally. Well Aware works to encourage home owners throughout the Kawarthas to protect their wells and our common groundwater supplies. The program is a project of Green Communities Canada. Well Aware has received funding support from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Technical support provided by the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario.
The Peterborough Children's Water Festival is also an event that Peterborough Green-Up plays a major role in. The water festival is a two-day event in May where children from around Peterborough County come to learn about water conservation, safety and aquatic wildlife.
Landscape Programs
Peterborough Green-Up has a variety of programs related to our natural landscape. "Our Urban Forest" is a program funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation which inventories trees in Peterborough neighborhoods to identify health, size and diversity of the forest within the city.
Established in 1991, Green-Up's Ecology Garden, a demonstration garden, was moved to a permanent five-acre site and named The Ecology Park in 1993. The Park is a collection of natural and cultivated landscapes which provide opportunities for public education and research. Visitors learn about native trees, plants and wildlife, take in composting or gardening workshops, learn about local waterways, do some gardening, or just stroll and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The Ecology Park has been recognized for its excellence in The Good Garden Guide: A Guide to Outstanding Gardens of Ontario and Restoring Nature's Place by the Ontario Parks Association. The Ecology Park was one of 25 semi-finalists in the 1997 Trillium Foundation's annual Caring Communities Award.
Current activities of the park include:
*nursery for native trees, shrubs, and flowers
*half day school and/or day camp visit program
*on-site sales of plants, compost, produce, and garden supplies
*operation of nine theme display gardens
*workshops on gardening, composting, and naturalization
*group tours and family events
The landscape department also offers personalized garden services to help local home owners to have gardens that thrive. For a small fee, a trained garden advisor will visit gardens in the City or County for a one hour consultation to provide advice and resources.
Air Quality and Transportation Programs
The Air Quality, Climate Change and Transportation program provides information and tools to inspire Peterborough residents to leave the car at home and take up walking, cycling, public transit and/or carpooling. Green-Up promises that if you try it and you'll improve you fitness and health, save money, learn to appreciate your community more, and perhaps most importantly contribute to cleaner air for us all to breathe.
Energy Efficiency Services
Peterborough Green-Up's energy efficiency services department operates several programs that are designed to improve energy efficiency of Peterborough area residents. The organization employees four certified energy advisors that do home energy evaluations so homeowners can qualify for government grants and learn about the energy efficiency of their homes.

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