Matthew Higginson's blog

Street trees in peril

Matthew Higginson — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:07:10 +0000

In last week’s Globe and Mail, journalist and urban enthusiast John Lorinc took a look at Yorkville’s recent tree-related mishap. Though focused on a stretch of Bloor St. in downtown Toronto (coined the 'Mink Mile'), the piece points to some of the larger problems faced by our street-dwelling friends. And it’s not just the Mile’s unhappy stumps that have fallen before their time.

Planting season has begun...again

Matthew Higginson — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:07:52 +0000

We've kicked off another spring planting season. At LEAF the entire staff gets an opportunity to go out in the field for at least one day. This means our marketing team takes time away from setting up interviews and tweaking websites to plant trees. I love the concept and needless to say it’s is a welcomed break from the glow of my computer screen. But even more than that, it’s a refreshing experience each time it rolls around.

What's up this Earth Day?

Matthew Higginson — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:21:52 +0000

It's going to be a busy weekend. We get excited each year around this time as millions of people in over 175 countries around the globe get together to celebrate our home. This year we're spreading out to connect with diverse communities and share tips on stewarding the planet at a local level. And while Earth Day falls on Sunday, I wanted to share all of the weekend's events we'll be attending - I hope you can join us!

Seedy Saturday in Aurora

Wild city: Spotted in Parkdale

Matthew Higginson — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:41:36 +0000

A bird of prey with it’s claws full. A bandit looking for breakfast. These incredible photos were sent to us by one of our long-standing volunteers. Jocelyn, who calls Parkdale home, says she sees all kinds of animals scurrying around while she's working in her naturalized garden.

Visit us at the Green Living Show

Matthew Higginson — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:06:19 +0000

Each year the Green Living Show provides a great opportunity to get to know all things green going on in and around Toronto. We are excited to join some other incredible groups to talk about the health benefits of the towering canopy in our urban areas.

You could really use a tree

Matthew Higginson — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:12:09 +0000

This week ads went up along transit lines and will run for the next month. The message? "You could really use a tree." What a simple line - but it really captures the spirit of what we do at LEAF. When I first saw these I loved the humour, and the fact that we could use it to help tell our story. They speak to the issues we face and that Toronto's urban forest can really use a hand.

Keeping the Urban Forest on a Healthy Diet

Matthew Higginson — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:00:19 +0000

Salt. Easy to find on our tables, in our meals, and on our sidewalks. It is linked to high-blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, discoloured leaves, and sparse foliage. But as concern grows around getting Canadians to ease up on our intake, maybe it’s time to think about putting our trees on a low-sodium diet too.

Saving the world, one workshop at a time

Matthew Higginson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:06:59 +0000

She sits at one of the chess tables in the park outside her office. It’s a sunny afternoon and a few birds fly overhead in the cool, refreshing late-November air. Ask what she does and you might hear “natural mentor", "gardener", or "community builder." But one thing she’ll be certain not to leave out is her love affair for permaculture. Toyin Coker is a woman with a dream.

Discovering the wild city

Matthew Higginson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:24:33 +0000

Milne Hollow is located along the Don Valley, sitting between the edges of Scarborough and North York. Surrounded by a major highway in what is a former industrial site, it is one of the most magnificent examples of how diverse our canopy can be. When I first arrived I was struck by the way it stood beaming with colour, so full of life. This is no accident – the city of Toronto has been working to renaturalize this site for over a decade and in 2011 LEAF signed on to help them achieve their goals.

Congratulations Tree Tenders

Matthew Higginson — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:47:45 +0000

As you know, 2011 has been the International Year of Forests according to the United Nations. So it seems fitting that we saw over one hundred people take our Tree Tenders Volunteer Training program this year. And to say "its been a busy year for them" would be an understatement...