Blogs

There’s nothing more powerful than our own history. Knowing where we’re from, how our ancestors lived, and that moments in time were marked - somehow by someone related to us - is an amazing thing. For me, I feel most connected with my ancestors when I can visit something that was around while they were – something they may have touched, seen or visited. In a southern Ontario context (far away from where my ancestors made their mark on Canadian History, which may or may not be a statue in Montreal), these are the ancient trees that have stood guard through the passing of time.

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.

Happy November! It’s getting too chilly for many outdoor activities, so we’re focusing on indoor presentations – we’ve got two on Wednesday!

Rouge Park is one of the Greater Toronto Area’s hidden jewels. Located on the eastern edge of the city, the park covers 40 square kilometers, stretching from the Oak Ridges Moraine (roughly 50 km north of the City) all the way down to Lake Ontario. While not far from downtown, the park’s historic farms, lush wetlands and wilderness forest make it seem worlds away from the skyscrapers and busy streets of the City’s core.