Blogs

By now, most of you have probably heard about the Emerald Ash Borer. Whether you’ve read an article about the invasive pest in a local newspaper, attended a municipal information night, or heard about it from one of our EAB Ambassadors, word is getting around that this tiny insect is going to have a huge impact on our ash trees. That said, numbers on a page an estimated 700,000 ash trees in York Region’s urban areas are at risk of infestation may be one thing, but actually getting out there to see first-hand the impact that the borer is having on the trees in your neighbourhood is another.

When you were a kid and the world was against you, where did you go to rail against your parents and the universe? I went down into the ravine near my house, sat on a log and offered up my troubles to the tree tops. Songbirds twittered back at me absent-minded. My problems became smaller.

Think about what a properly structured forest is to you. Would you include things like a closed canopy and the need for large groupings of mature trees? Would you stress the need for species diversity and the ability to resist disease? All of these points are very important, but a proper forest structure really includes everything from the massive, mature trees to the smallest fungi hiding under fallen leaves on the forest floor.

There’s nothing quite like waking up to the sweet sound of birds chirping to let you know that spring is here to stay. Tree Tender graduate, Christina Sharma, knows all about those birds and the important role urban residents play in songbird conservation.

As the cherry blossom trees of High Park approach full bloom, the park swells with admirers, and rightfully so. Warm weather, bright sunshine, soft pink petals floating on the breeze…perfection! However, with the large influx of people and cars, sadly the park takes some serious abuse. Although I still strongly encourage everyone to get out and enjoy the blossoms while they last, please do so responsibly and respectfully.