With the cold weather sticking around, this picture, shot by Sammy Tangir (a volunteer photographer on our recent Winter Tree Identification Tour), seemed apt for our March photo of the month! Were you on the tour (or are you just a natural tree identification expert)? Test your detective skills and tell me what species of tree it is!
There are many things I enjoy about this photo – the community, the love for trees, the warmth of people learning together on a cold day. But right in the middle is something that doesn’t make me so happy. You don’t have to look too closely to see that a main branch has been badly damaged – likely by the ice storm or other severe weather we’ve had this winter.
Many trees in the GTA have suffered damage like this, or worse. For an already-stressed-out-tree, left vulnerable by summer droughts, poor or compacted soil, vandalism and air pollution, a storm can be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back
To reduce some of the stresses on trees in the park, Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park runs an Adopt-A-Tree program, which pairs locals with the newly-planted. Volunteer adopters water their young trees to get them off to a healthy start. All living things need water, of course, but it is especially critical for young trees to get a regular drink. By reducing drought stress for park saplings, these committed stewards give trees the best possible chance at reaching maturity - which allows all of us to enjoy a more resilient urban forest.
This idea is spreading around the city, and once again this year, LEAF will be working with Park People to help community groups that want to start their own Adopt-a-Park-Tree program.
Even if there isn’t an Adopt-a-Park-Tree program in your neighbourhood, it doesn’t mean you can’t help! Start small. Learn about the urban forest and how to care for the trees and shrubs in your backyard, or on your street with our upcoming Tree Tenders Volunteer Training sessions in Richmond Hill and Toronto. With all the damage the urban forest has experienced recently, it needs more love than ever! And maybe you’ll even decide to start an Adopt-a-Park Tree program in your own local park. Happy spring!
Robyn Stewart is the Education & Outreach Coordinator at LEAF. Our Tree Tours are supported by Ontario Power Generation's Biodiversity Program, York Region and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.