The Port of Montreal goes green

Planting new trees is part of the Port of Montreal's commitment to improve the quality of life of its employees and the neighbourhood, as well as to take solid action for the environment. To do so, the Port of Montreal together with Soverdi is development a greening plan that revolves around three strategic principles: the renaturalisation of sites interfacing with the river for ecological conservation and riverbank stabilisation; consolidation of the port's institutional image through a formal redevelopment including a broad range of species and the optimal association of plants with neighbourhoods to create green filters composed of various plant textures.

Along with improving the landscape, the interventions will have effects that include reducing heat islands and improving air quality. For Malin Anagrius, Executive Director of Soverdi, "the involvement of major landowners is the key to carrying out greening projects whose tree cover generates real long-term benefits for the quality of life of a neighbourhood and for the health of its residents and visitors."

By improving the existing development of its land, the port wants to inspire other landowners to plant more trees so that their benefits spread throughout the district.

"The Port of Montreal is a unique and important economic engine for Montreal and Quebec. For the cities and districts along its borders, it is also a neighbour. An industrial neighbour, to be sure, but one that always strives to reduce its environmental footprint and to live as harmoniously as possible with the community. In keeping with this, we take solid steps to reduce our environmental footprint and to beautify the spaces along our port facilities. At the Port of Montreal, the principles of sustainable development are at the heart of our operations. This partnership with Soverdi in the greening of Montreal's landscape is a perfect fit with our approach," said Sylvie Vachon, President and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority.

The planting of hundreds of trees at the Port of Montreal officially closes the 2017 planting season of Alliance forêt urbaine.

"We have an extremely ambitious goal, namely to plant 300 000 trees by 2025, and we need the collaboration of all our partners to make it happen. Trees are necessary for our well-being, to clean the air, to cool down urban heat islands and to better manage rainwater.  Residents' health and quality of life are depend on them directly," said Luc Ferrandez, the Executive Committee member responsible for large parks, sustainable development, green spaces and large projects for the City of Montreal.

Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/ports-terminals/24112017/the-port-of-montreal-goes-green/