In 1946, the Department of Veterans Affairs established the Western Counties Health and Occupational Centre at Westminster Ponds as a place of healing for Canadian veterans. Today, this historic location is home to ReForest London and the Westminster Ponds Centre, London’s hub for environment and sustainability.
In 2025, ReForest London is proud to give back to our veteran community with a new initiative: the Veterans Tree Project. Launched earlier this month in collaboration with the Veterans Care Program at St. Joseph’s Health Care London (Parkwood Institute), the Veterans Tree Project empowers veterans to get involved in local tree growing and reforestation efforts.
Each year, ReForest London’s Community Tree Nursery provides around 100 native tree seedlings for the veterans at St. Joe’s to nurture over the spring or fall. Once mature, the seedlings are either planted in London’s parks and public spaces through ReForest London’s Park Naturalization program or distributed to the community at public Tree Giveaways.
“The Parkwood Institute has so many great programs and activities for residents,” said Rachael Jensen, Growing Programs Coordinator at ReForest London. “We’re thrilled to be able to provide the veterans with a hands-on growing opportunity, where they benefit from the growing process but also contribute to community tree planting efforts.”
A huge thank-you to Mike Kirkland, board member and long-time volunteer of ReForest London, for making this collaboration possible.
