-28,000 trees planted during TD Tree Days events across Canada-

TORONTO, Sept. 22, 2011 /CNW/ - 5,000 volunteers. 85 events. 8 days. Added up, the result is 28,000 trees planted during the second annual TD Tree Days. This year TD Bank Group employees, their family and friends, community partners and even the Great One himself - Wayne Gretzky - joined together to enhance urban and rural forests across the country through tree-plantings hosted by TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

TD Tree Days were held during September 2011 in Canada, and will debut in the United States and the United Kingdom with events slated for October 2011. Special events in Canada included plantings on September 21^st to celebrate Canada's inaugural National Tree Day and a planting today in Vancouver with Wayne Gretzky.

"We are thrilled to have so many passionate volunteers join the Great One, Wayne Gretzky, to plant the roots of forest stewardship in communities across Canada, as well as in the U.S. and U.K.," said Mary Desjardins, Executive Director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. "Trees provide important economic, recreational and ecological benefits to cities, from removing carbon dioxide to buffering noise. What better way to celebrate the Year of the Forest and Canada's First National Tree Day than by recognizing the important role trees play in our environment?"

Highlights of TD Tree Days events across Canada:

• Red Deer, Alberta - A small army of volunteers in Red Deer planted 254 trees at Kerry Wood Nature Centre, planting more than double the originally planned 125 trees.
• Gatineau, Quebec - Volunteers of all ages, including a one-year old volunteer in-training, added 125 trees to the local forest canopy in Ouatouais/Gatineau.
• Etobicoke, Ontario - TD staff and their families planted 1,000 trees and shrubs at Centennial Park, which will help establish a forest on a formerly open area.
• Surrey, British Columbia - TD employees, their families and the Clover Ridge District Girl Guides gathered in Black Creek Park to plant 280 trees. A mix of salmonberry, thimbleberry, red alder and western red cedar were planted to help control the growth of blackberries in the park, which are an invasive species in the area.
• Conception Bay South, Newfoundland & Labrador - With increased housing and development in the area, Manuels River Park was also experiencing an increase in groundwater runoff. Local volunteers planted 500 trees that will help to stabilize water runoff in the park.

TD FEF worked with partners including Tree Canada to ensure volunteers planted native species to help maximize their growing potential.

For more information visit www.tdtreedays.com

About TD Friends of the Environment Foundation:

Since 1990, TD FEF has provided more than $54 million in funding to approximately 20,000 grassroots environment and wildlife projects across Canada. In 2010, TD FEF provided more than $3.5 million in support of 970 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% of every dollar donated goes directly to funding environment and wildlife projects in the community where the donation was made. For more information on how to donate and get involved in your community, visit www.tdfef.com.

Image with caption: "Wayne Gretzky joins TD volunteers for a TD Tree Days planting event in Stanley Park, Vancouver, B.C. (CNW Group/TD Friends of the Environment Foundation)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20110922_C5905_PHOTO_EN_3714.jpg