Since 1996, LEAF has been working to engage our urban communities in enhancing their urban forest. We’ve stewarded many sites over the years, and took on a real gem this year – Milne Hollow. Active naturalization of this site has been at least a decade in the making, and LEAF was happy to partner with City of Toronto Parks, Forestry, and Recreation to continue contributing this year.
Looking around at the groves of trees and flowering perennials, you wouldn’t guess this was a former industrial site and the home of Milneford Mills, a small village settled around wool and saw mills on the Don River. Once host to 16 buildings and general store, today Milne House greets you upon your entrance to the valley and is the last remaining relic of the town, acting as a friendly reminder of the incredible transformations this area has seen over the last two centuries.
Over the 2011 growing season, LEAF and our amazing volunteers, the City, and the local community planted over 600 trees and shrubs at Milne Hollow. We mulched these new plants as well as some of the adolescents that had been planted over the last few years to continue giving them the moisture and delicious nutrients they crave.
Education was a vital component of each stewardship event (we’re all about quality – not just quantity!), but we also held tours and workshops to get folks learning more in this natural space. From Tree Identification and Natural History Tours to Recycling the Rain in your watershed, we had some captivating guest speakers bring their expert knowledge to the area. Stay tuned for the Natural History Tour’s transformation into a Walk the Don Trail Guide next season.
Looking back at the amount we accomplished, I can’t help but let a smile escape. I’m not smiling just because of the number of trees we planted or how many people we engaged in urban forest issues, but because of the amazing personalities I’ve met at Milne Hollow over the year.
I’ve really cherished getting to know more of our amazing LEAF volunteers and devoted Milne Hollow neighbours that gave their time to keep this site a much-needed naturalized refuge in our city. Thanks everyone!