As one of the most prestigious events for the international screen industry, the Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) has been bringing the world’s top creators, producers, showrunners, talent, networks, studios, streamers, and media companies together in the majestic Canadian Rockies for 45 years.

To give back to the beautiful land that the Festival takes place on, BANFF, in partnership with Tree Canada, has committed to support afforestation and reforestation efforts in Alberta, Canada through the National Greening Program.

In recognition of the Festival’s 45th anniversary, we have launched “The Banff World Media Festival’s Legacy Forest'' fundraiser with a goal to plant 4,500 trees by June 2025.

We have kicked off the program with 450 trees, and are asking for your support to help us reach our goal. The trees planted will help support two local reforestation (planting areas historically disturbed by timber harvests) and afforestation (planting marginal agricultural land) projects in Alberta, Canada - the Piikani Nation Project and the Coyote Lake Lodge Project.

Piikani Nation Project:

Location: near Brocket, Alberta

The Piikani Nation is located within the Oldman River watershed in southwestern Alberta. The project aims to stabilize the banks of the Oldman River watershed to reduce erosion, protect critically endangered fish habitat for threatened species, restore and enhance the existing Cottonwood ecosystem, and provide habitat for regional terrestrial wildlife. The plantation will enhance water quality for local communities by reducing the risk of severe erosion along the Oldman River. It will also enhance the land for traditional uses such as hunting, fishing and gathering for the Piikani Nation.

Coyote Lake Lodge Project:

Location: Near Drayton Valley, Alberta

The Coyote Lake Lodge properties are part of the Wellness in Nature Centre which enables citizens with disabilities and seniors to access and enjoy natural areas. The primary objective of the project is to complete a streambank (or riparian) restoration project to enhance regional habitat connectivity by establishing wildlife corridors. The riparian tree plantings will also stabilize the stream embankments, improve water quality within the North Saskatchewan River watershed, and provide critical water temperature cooling features for aquatic species.

Thank you for planting a tree in “The Banff World Media Festival’s Legacy Forest”! As a bonus, this year, Natural Resources Canada will match the amount of trees planted via Tree Canada’s programs, so your donation will go even further.