Explore Canada's 'birthplace of reforestation'
The Weather Network's Mia Gordon visits the city where there's more trees than people
Surrey might be B.C.'s second-largest city, with about half a million people calling it home, but did you know 50 per cent of the land in this major city is green space?
Surrey is actually known as the birthplace of second-growth forests, all thanks to one of its largest parks, the Green Timbers Urban Forest.
Back in the 1920s, Green Timbers was actually part of a much larger forest; 5000 acres of old growth lined the highway in Surrey. It was a tourist hot spot as people would travel from near and far to get a glimpse of the 200-foot giant timbers, but in 1929, the entire 5000 acres were clear cut.
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It didn't take long for them to start rebuilding the area; in fact, in 1930, the BC Forest Service started replanting efforts, and in 1989, they actually planted the two-billionth tree in the park, and Surrey became known as the birthplace of reforestation.
Now it is a local favourite, with 10 kilometres of nature trails, fishing at the lake, and bird watching in the millions and millions of trees.
Learn more about the urban forests of Surrey, B.C., in the video that leads this article.
