August 02, 2013
Matthew Higginson
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The first Edible Tree Tour began outside the Spadina Museum on a sunny September day in 2008. Participants shared freshly picked apples and discovered a new way to look at urban fruit trees with Laura Rainsborough, who had just founded Not Far From The Tree. A year later, the tour moved to Ben Nobleman Park and Cedarvale Ravine, and Susan Poizner, Director of Orchard People shared information on the first community orchard, and how to care for existing fruit trees. Now five years later, the Edible Tree Tour at its heart still carries the same message: the urban forest provides.
August 01, 2013
Matthew Higginson
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The photo was taken in one of my favourite parks in Toronto, Trinity Bellwoods. I came across it through our flickr page. Even with the low resolution of Instagram, the framing shows the towering trees of the historic park, picnics, cyclists, and pedestrians. I tend to spend time here in the evenings after work or on weekends, so it is nice to see it for the trees - when it isn’t so completely packed.
July 30, 2013
Brenna Anstett
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Many of us know the basic importance of planting trees and shrubs in our yards: they improve air quality, help to reduce air temperature, intercept and store rainwater, provide privacy, are aesthetically pleasing and can even increase property values! But did you know planting shrubs in your backyard can actually help to conserve energy and save you money?
July 30, 2013
Andrea Bake
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If I were to come out and inspect your tree today, what would I find? Are you keeping up the mulch around your tree's base? Do you water during the heat waves? Is the excess amount of rain falling from the sky affecting the growth of your trees (either bending the branches due to extra weight or causing the tips of the tree to grow too fast)? Are you unsure of any of the answers to these questions?
July 29, 2013
Matthew Higginson
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Have you seen these videos yet? LEAF produced three informative videos on the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) and its devastating effect on our urban forest. I helped put these together with Volunteer & Stewardship Coordinator Victoria and our Marketing Intern Sam. It was a cold Friday in spring, and we ventured throughout the city to get the shots that would help viewers identify ash trees, and see examples of how EAB is affecting these trees.
July 29, 2013
Brenna Anstett
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A couple of weeks ago, a large group gathered to join Andrea Bake (LEAF) and Greg Johnston (TRCA) for a tour of Morningside Park and the Highland Creek watershed. With all of the extreme weather that had been hanging over the city, we were all happy to beat the heat with a nice walk along the cool river and shaded ravine. After a warm welcome, the two discussed the rarity and ecological significance of the grassland areas near the beginning of the tour.
July 29, 2013
Andrea Bake
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One of the wonders of a “smaller world” is that we get to share ideas and goods, including foods, spices and plants. During the 18th century, tradesmen decided they liked the look of one certain tree species in Asia and brought it back to Europe. Because of its popularity as a garden specimen, the use of this tree species expanded across to North America and the larger islands of the Oceania region. And so the story began of one of our most aggressive invasive species...
July 26, 2013
Jessica Lemieux
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Back in April of this year, on a sunny Saturday, a group of gardeners gathered in an urban herb farm in downtown Toronto. Together we built garden beds and sowed seeds. Following the afternoon of work in the spring sun, we shared food and stories. And as we sat together, we watched the first worker bee of the season for Sage Rising Herbs and reminisced about how we started this business only a year ago.
July 16, 2013
Janet McKay
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It was a beautiful sunny evening in Christie Pits and more than fifty curious tree-lovers gathered in the park, ready for a guided tour and some freshly-baked pizza. With the help of our trusty LEAF volunteers Katy and Taylor to check in participants, we kicked off the tour right on time! Jode Roberts of the David Suzuki Foundation took a moment to explain how Christie Pits is a key component of the Homegrown National Park project which aims to engage residents, businesses and institutions in crowd-sourcing a green corridor through the heart of Canada’s largest city.
July 15, 2013
Michelle Bourdeau
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LEAF is extremely pleased to announce that our partnership with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has been renewed! OPG’s Biodiversity Program partners with organizations working to improve and protect biodiversity across Ontario including groups like LEAF, the Toronto Wildlife Centre and Earth Rangers.