Blogs

The Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) outlines the Ontario government’s policies on land use planning. It includes policies on key issues that affect communities across the province, such as the use and management of land and infrastructure, protection of resources and appropriate land uses.

What better way to break our hibernation than with a winter tree tour? On Saturday, March 1, we got together with Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park and over 90 participants from across Toronto and neighbouring cities. It was mild, the sun was shining and although our toes started to freeze as we approached the end, we were assured by our guide, Mark Sherman, that the buds were a sign that spring warmth was on its way!

You are walking through a nursery sales floor. You see some beautiful looking plants – green and leafy with giant flowers. But are you sure about where that plant is coming from? Final touches are often made on clothing in Ontario after being shipped in from China. But does that make it Made in Canada? With global supply chains this may be how it goes for the shirt on your back. But I'm not convinced “local” is the word for a small sapling that was sent up from the Carolinas - or one that relocated to grow five years in Canada before being sold.

On a surprisingly mild day at the start of February, I had the pleasure of leading a snowshoe tree tour at Newmarket’s Winterfest. The walk was co-presented with York Region Forestry, who provided the snowshoes and a great crew of tree enthusiasts to join us. This was the first of two winter walks LEAF has planned for 2014.