Blogs | LEAF | Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests

The Team Behind Our Residential Tree Planting Programs

Submitted by Mikayla Richards on April 13, 2021

Three photos, each with a young woman next to a recently planted tree

Ever wonder who the superheroes are behind our residential tree planting programs? From helping homeowners select the right trees and planting locations for their properties to scheduling our long field days, they’re growing our urban forest one tree at a time!

It Might Feel Like Spring Has Sprung, But Your Garden Is Still Sleeping

Submitted by Brian Millward on April 01, 2021

With temperatures already warming up, it feels like spring is already here and it is time to start preparing for a new gardening season. However, while we might be ready to get to work in our gardens, it’s good to remember that many creatures are still using them as habitat before the spring thaw. Our volunteers came up with a great way to remind people of how important our gardens are for local wildlife during the winter.

Rooting a Career in Urban Forestry with the Young Urban Forest Leaders

Submitted by Lam Tran on March 29, 2021

Natalie squatting down next to recently planted tree

Becoming a Young Urban Forest Leader (YUFL) proved to be a formative experience for Natalie Secen. She joined the YUFL program with an interest in urban forestry and now, four years later, has a fulfilling career working for a private tree care company. How did this all happen? Natalie shares with us how joining the YUFLs helped root her career in urban forestry.

Transplant Shock - Helping Your Tree Recover

Submitted by Jess Wilkin on March 23, 2021

When a tree is uprooted from the ground at a nursery, potted up, transported and replanted in your backyard, it will undergo a period of stress called transplant shock. Trees communicate this stress through a range of physical cues, which may become severe in certain cases. Thankfully, there are some easy steps you can take before and after planting that will help reduce the transplant shock in your newly planted tree!

Red Maple: a Tree for All Seasons

Submitted by Brenna Anstett on March 19, 2021

A multi-seasonal landscape tree showcases a plethora of changing colours and textures throughout the year. The red maple, also known as the scarlet maple, presents an array of attractive features throughout all four seasons- spring, summer, fall and winter. It is also one of the most abundant and widespread maples in North America with its range extending across Ontario to eastern Canada and down along the American east coast to southern Florida.