Blogs

Eleven Toronto Community Housing communities across Toronto welcomed 150 new trees as part of the TCHC Planting and Stewardship Initiative over the past two years. The TREE-rific neighbours not only make the communities greener, but also add unique flare.

In 2019, LEAF volunteers and stewardship event participants gave over 4,200 hours of their own time to LEAF programs, such as: community tree planting events, Urban Forest Demonstration Gardens, community events, Tree Tours and so much more! With so many programs and projects to celebrate, we’re taking a moment to acknowledge the contributions made by our TREE-rific volunteers and LEAF community.

The urban forest is made up of more than just the trees in our cities. Urban wildlife also share it with us. Some wildlife migrate south for the winter or go into hibernation throughout the cold season, but many birds and mammals do not. The best way to help those which overwinter here is to create and maintain a healthy, thriving and diverse urban forest with enough options for winter habitat. Here are six native species for winter Backyard Biodiversity.

In the past, I felt myself dreading the holidays or my friends’ birthdays. Though these are all joyous occasions, the pressure of finding the perfect gift is not so fun. But, there’s a better option! How can you give meaningful, environmentally-friendly and socially-responsible gifts without any of the hassle? By donating!

For Sintra, beautifying her yard is a family affair. Her daughter pointed her towards the LEAF service which resulted in her having a paper birch and American elm spring planted by LEAF in spring 2019. Plus, her grandchildren helped out with the fall planting of shrubs. Her Markham property now has a pagoda dogwood shrub, common snowberries and red osier dogwoods. Our Program Manager, Kim De Lallo, interviews Sintra about her enthusiasm for sharing the beauty of nature across the generations.