If you thought hunting for Easter Eggs was fun, then get ready for The Great Toronto Tree Hunt – a contest to find and celebrate the greatest trees in our city! From April 22 to May 31, 2015, you or your group can nominate trees (as many as you want) online. To nominate a tree, you’ll need a photo of the tree (this can be an artistic photo or a quick snapshot), a brief story about the tree (10 - 250 words), the location of the tree, and your contact information. You also get to pick the category you’d like to nominate your tree in: Beauty, Uniqueness, Survivor, Size or Heritage Potential.
When the nomination period closes, public voting begins. From June 1 to 15, 2015, the public can vote online for the trees they think are the greatest. Then, at the end of June, one winner will be selected in each category (based on votes and judging) and each will receive a cash prize of $250! Winners will be announced at a ceremony
One thing I love about The Great Toronto Tree Hunt is how accessible it is to everyone in the city. When I start talking to people about it, often the first reaction I get is one of hesitation: “Hm. I like trees, but I don’t really know of any one that stands out.” But then a light bulb goes off in their mind, and they give me a look, followed by a story such as this: “Well, there is this ONE tree. It’s big and scraggly-looking and our family refers to it as the ‘Grandma’ tree, but it just means something to us.”
And that is exactly the type of tree that is perfect for The Great Toronto Tree Hunt. You could take a creative photo of this interesting-looking tree and enter it into the “Beauty” category; or describe in one or two paragraphs the significance of this tree to you and your family – how the story of this tree developed and why it is special to you – and nominate it in the “Uniqueness” category.
The goal of this project is not only to have fun and celebrate the important trees in our lives, but to also send the message that Toronto values its trees – whether small, large, scraggly or towering! Thanks to our supporting partners, TD Friends of the Environment, Ontario Power Generation, and the City of Toronto, who are just as excited as we are!
And if you’re looking for more inspiration, join us on May 2, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. for the Great Trees of Old East York - A Jane’s Walk that LEAF is hosting in partnership with MoreTrees29. We have several guest speakers who are excited to share information about their favourite trees, ranging from old remnant oak trees to a newly-planted gingko.
Michelle Bourdeau is LEAF's Program Manager.