Blogs

Fostering trees in Monarch Park

Friends of Monarch Park, Park People and LEAF were already hard at work mulching away when I stepped into the park two Saturdays ago. Last year, several of its large trees were brought to the ground by a heavy wind storm and it was imperative that succession planting be an important part of renewing the canopy. The vision of so many key community players had me up early to see the dream of a healthy canopy get a little closer to realization.

If a Tree Falls

If a tree falls in the urban forest, what happens to the wood? Does it go in the garbage, get chipped for mulch or become something beautiful? Usually, this wood is treated as waste and sometimes even sent to a landfill. But some are starting to see it as a resource that can be turned into furniture, bowls and art instead. On a cold, rainy Saturday morning this fall, I headed to Maple Cottage (the site of the Maple Leaf Forever Tree and Park) for a Tree Tour focused on utilizing this urban wood.

100 Years at 100 Bain

The Bain Coop, known for its beautiful courtyard gardens and community composting activities, among many other things, celebrated its 100th anniversary on a sunny Saturday September 14th. The moving and delightful ménage of events including a powwow, open stage music with Bain youth bands and Whiskey Jack, great food, stories and dancing in the street.