Elora Environment Centre

Thirty years of making Elora greener.

A grassroots charity working for a greener, healthier Centre Wellington since 1993.

Support our workSee what we do
1993 – today

Elora Environment Centre turns 30

A history of grassroots impact and innovation.

The Elora Centre for Environmental Excellence began in 1993 as the community’s first environmental organization, field-testing programs to bring to the wider community.

Now known as the Elora Environment Centre, this registered charity has a 30-year history of community-based environmental projects across urban and rural southern Ontario.

We are the little engine that could…push for change, grateful for everyone who has walked through our doors with unique ideas.

Trees

Neighbourwoods on the Grand: created in 2005 in response to citizen concerns about the state of our trees in Centre Wellington.

2005

Tree Kits

Curriculum-based materials about trees and the environment, distributed to local elementary schools.

2007

Schoolyard Shade Workshop

Supported schoolyard greening at three pilot schools, with the public health department.

2009–2020

Celebration Trees

Community donations funded shade trees with personalized plaques in our parks, with Centre Wellington Parks.

2009–2024

Tree Inventory

Volunteers measured and evaluated public trees with the University of Toronto and Centre Wellington — over 10,000 trees recorded by 2022.

2016–2024

Citizen Pruners

Trained citizens to prune young trees, with local certified arborists and Centre Wellington.

2019–2024

Tree Trust

Launched to keep our biggest and best mature trees healthy, funding local certified arborists through donations. Seven other southern Ontario communities have since adopted the model. Visit Tree Trust →

Energy

Helping households and businesses use less of it, from house doctors to high school solar demos.

Green Home Visit and Energy Audits

Over 12 years, advisors visited more than 40,000 homes across southern Ontario in partnership with the Government of Canada.

2007–2010

EnerGuide for Houses & ecoENERGY Retrofit Homes

Our “house doctors” performed over 30,000 residential energy evaluations, cutting more than 10,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases a year.

2009–2010

Green Retail

225 small-business energy audits across southwestern Ontario, saving over 200 tonnes of CO2.

2009

Youth Energy Project

High school students ran a solar power demo and learned home energy conservation first-hand.

Transportation

Cleaner habits behind the wheel.

2009

ecoDriver

Educated 200 Halton Region drivers one-on-one on vehicle maintenance and fuel-saving habits.

Water

Wells, rivers and rain, and the people who look after them.

2002

Well Aware

Guided self-assessments for private well owners, reaching 800 rural families.

2003

UpStream

Helped K–8 students understand the Grand River ecosystem through classroom visits.

2007

Well Wise

Interactive water-stewardship program for grades 1–4, based on Aqua’s Water Well Adventures.

2003

Rain Barrels

Sold 295 rain barrels to Wellington County residents, with proceeds supporting Community Living Fergus.

Other projects we’re proud of

Gardens, camps, wood stoves and walking to school.

2002

Green Garden Visits

Advised 25 Fergus and Elora homeowners on reducing pesticide use and planting wildlife-friendly gardens.

2002–2003

Nature Explorer’s Day Camp

A summer camp for children ages 6–10 in Fergus and Elora.

2003

Burn It Smart

24 free workshops across the region taught over 1,000 people to burn wood more safely and efficiently.

2003

Active & Safe Routes to School

48 schools in Guelph and Waterloo Region hosted Walking Wednesdays, cutting emissions by over 6 tonnes.

When the rubber first met the road

In the spirit of a low-carbon footprint, the bicycle figured in many of our services, including:

  • Food delivery (long before Uber Eats!)
  • Energy advisor home visits
  • A bike repair service
  • Bike rentals

Our programs

Neighbourwoods

Our urban forest group, caring for Centre Wellington’s trees since 2006.

Explore Neighbourwoods

Food Forest

A community food forest for Centre Wellington.

Donate to the Food Forest

Tree Trust

Program details coming soon.

Native Plant Gardening

Centre Wellington Native Plant Gardening, including our annual native plant sale.

Tree of the Year

Celebrating the most remarkable trees in Centre Wellington.

30+years in Elora
11,000+trees inventoried
31traits recorded per tree
2006Neighbourwoods founded

Neighbourwoods

Caring for Centre Wellington’s urban forest since 2006.

Healthier people

Space for recreation, lower rates of chronic illness and stress, and a stronger sense of community.

More liveable streets

Cleaner air, better water filtration and cooler temperatures.

Stronger communities

Habitat for wildlife, more biodiversity and higher property values.

The bigger, the better

Large trees take more care, but save more energy, slow more storm water and shade more roads and sidewalks than small ones.

Large trees shade the road
and sidewalk
Small trees
do much less

What we’re up to

Everything we do runs on community volunteers.

Tree Talks & Walks

Seasonal talks with guest speakers, plus occasional walks around Centre Wellington.

Gallery, Elora Centre for the Arts, 75 Melville St

Citizen Pruners

Trained volunteers prune young urban trees so they grow into healthy, long-lived adults.

Supported by the Canadian Tree Fund

Tree Inventory

Since 2009, volunteers have recorded 31 characteristics of every tree they survey.

11,000+

Our roots

For years, the Norway spruce outside Elora’s Municipal Centre was the town Christmas tree. When it started to decline, the whole community pitched in to replace it.

  1. 2005

    It’s clear the old spruce can’t be saved. Centre Wellington Public Works removes it.

  2. Earth Day 2006

    A native white spruce is planted in its place, and Neighbourwoods is founded as the urban forest branch of the Elora Environment Centre.

  3. 2016

    Ten years on, the white spruce is thriving.

Become a member

Add your voice to support Centre Wellington’s urban forest. Buy a membership at any of our events, or email walksandtalks@treetrust.ca.

  • Free admission to all Tree Talks and Walks
  • 10% off at Magic Pebble Books and Little Tree Garden Market
  • A say in the future of our urban forest

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