- 40,000 trees to be planted in 135 communities across Canada during TD Tree Days -

TORONTO, Sept. 5, 2012 /CNW/ - This week, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) is kicking off its third annual TD Tree Days. During the month of September, 40,000 trees will be planted by over 6,500 volunteers - including many TD employees and their families, customers and community partners - at 135 sites across Canada. TD employee volunteers will also plant trees in 10 communities in the U.S. and three in the U.K.

"Trees are vital to the health of this planet, and TD FEF is committed to helping maintain healthy forests and to growing urban canopies so we can continue to reap the benefits of trees," said Mary Desjardins, Executive Director, TD FEF. "We are excited and inspired by the enthusiasm, passion and commitment our dedicated volunteers bring to TD Tree Days."

Major TD Tree Days events across Canada:

• September 22 - South Asian Community Planting, Surrey, B.C.
• September 23 - Forest restoration, Goderich, Ont.
• September 26 - Westbank First Nation, Kelowna, B.C.
• October 12 - Accessible Planting at Nova Scotia Hospital, Halifax, N.S.

TD FEF works with a number of organizations, including Tree Canada, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Evergreen to select native tree species that are appropriate for each location's climate, sun, soil and water conditions. A number of TD Tree Days events will coincide with National Forest Week, which runs from September 23 to September 29.

TD Tree Days is part of TD Forests, a major conservation program aimed at growing and protecting forested areas and reducing paper use.  As part of the program, TD has made a commitment to reduce its paper use by 20 per cent across its North American operations by 2015 and will grow forested areas through such initiatives as TD Tree Days and a new association with the Nature Conservancy of Canada that will see it increase the area of protected North American forest habitat by an amount equivalent to the quantity of paper TD uses.

For more information and to learn about volunteer opportunities at local events, visit www.tdtreedays.com.

About TD Friends of the Environment Foundation:
Since 1990, TD FEF has provided more than $57 million in funding to more than 20,000 environment projects across Canada. In 2011, TD FEF provided more than $3.6 million in support of 1,058 projects. Thousands of donors give to TD FEF on a monthly basis and TD Bank Group contributes in excess of $1 million annually. TD also covers the management costs of running TD FEF, which guarantees 100 per cent of every dollar donated goes directly to funding environmental projects and programs. For more information on how to donate, visit www.tdfef.com.

SOURCE: TD Friends of the Environment Foundation