Toronto has over 1600 parks and they are always improved when local residents get involved and take action! Friends of Parks groups play a key role in making our parks more vibrant and through programs like Adopt-A-Park-Tree, the community greatly improves the chance of survival for young, newly planted trees. With basic tree-tending techniques such as mulching, weeding and regular watering community volunteers are making a big difference in tree health!
Last year, LEAF worked together with Park People and the Friends of Parks groups at Withrow Park, Earlscourt Park and Monarch Park to help establish new Adopt-A-Park-Tree projects. With the support of local councillors and the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, these community volunteers established stewardship programs to help their new trees thrive.
Inspired by the success of 2013, LEAF and Park People have been working to support more Friends of Parks groups to initiate similar programs in their own neighbourhoods this year. That’s where the Adopt-A-Park Tree Manual comes in! With generous funding from Trees for Life, we were able to produce this wonderful resource. From understanding how the City works, to building a team of adopters, to determining on-the-ground logistics like water access, the manual offers insights and ideas to help groups hit the ground running.
We’re excited to see community groups put the manual into action and help our young trees become a vital part of our urban canopy! If you’re interested in helping care for the trees in your own park, we encourage you and your park group to use the manual as a tool for your own stewardship project.
If you have any questions about starting an Adopt-a-Park-Tree program, please contact erin[at]yourleaf.org.
Erin MacDonald is the interim Volunteer & Stewardship Coordinator at LEAF.
The Adopt-A-Park-Tree Program is a joint initiative of Park People and LEAF and is currently supported by a grant from Trees for Life.