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Greater Sudbury is known around the world for one of the most remarkable environmental restoration stories. Once characterized by barren, industrially impacted landscapes, the community has become a world leader in regreening and the restoration of mining-impacted environments, with knowledge and approaches developed here shared across the globe.
Since 1978, decades of collaboration between the community, industry, government and researchers have transformed Greater Sudbury’s landscape and helped restore healthy, thriving ecosystems.
More Than 45 Years of Regreening
Greater Sudbury’s regreening journey began in the late 1970s through a collaborative effort involving local government, the mining industry, post-secondary institutions and the community.
A critical part of that transformation has been significant improvements in mining operations, including reductions in historic sulphur dioxide emissions of more than 90%.
Today, the City of Greater Sudbury continues its annual land reclamation program through liming, seeding, planting and ongoing monitoring. This work is helping restore self-sustaining terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems while building a healthier, more resilient landscape.
Reasons for Hope
Greater Sudbury’s transformation has become an internationally recognized example of what can be achieved through environmental restoration.
In July 2022, renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall joined the community to celebrate the planting of the Regreening Program’s 10 millionth tree. During her visit, Goodall said she spoke about Greater Sudbury’s program around the world as an example of what can happen when people help nature recover.
Greater Sudbury’s transformation was also featured in Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope, filmed in part in Sudbury and produced with Science North. The film presents Greater Sudbury’s regreening efforts as one of the stories demonstrating that positive environmental change is possible.
Explore the Regreening of Greater Sudbury
More than four decades of regreening work can be seen across Greater Sudbury. Explore the interactive map to discover where liming, seeding and planting have taken place throughout the community.