March 26, 2013
Jessica Piskorowski
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This year, my St. Patrick’s Day festivities took place in Asheville North Carolina, where we celebrated the luck o’ the Irish and trees together: It was Arbor Day in North Carolina! Much like our National Tree Day, North Carolina’s Arbor Day is a day where cities across the state come together to celebrate their urban forests.
March 22, 2013
Matthew Higginson
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I came across this photo through our facebook page by Sharon Helleman. It was a mature elm, right around the corner from our office at the Artscape Wychwood Barns. I’ve passed this tree many times – near the top of a lost river – Garrison Creek (soon to be the home of Canada’s first Homegrown National Park). I liked the way Sharon caught an angle that shows its towering beauty…and how she shared some of the history of our nation through its story.
March 21, 2013
Sharmeen Shahidullah
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According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), today is dedicated to celebrating and raising awareness of the importance of all types of forests. Countries around the world are encouraged to take on local, national and international efforts to organize activities dealing with trees and forests such as tree planting campaigns.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/1_kYSjnCsqY
March 19, 2013
Erin Silverstein
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My great-grandparents moved to Huttonville in 1933, settled up the hill from the Credit River and began growing fruits and vegetables destined for market in Toronto. My grandfather, Quinto Ferri, was one of eight siblings. When his two eldest brothers, Aldo and Mac, went off to war he and his brother Nick took over the family farm. They quickly procured more land along the road and soon each brother had their own.
March 11, 2013
Andrea Bake
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When you think of a huge, majestic, old tree – do you think of an oak tree? Towering over most of its competition (even in the urban forest) their graceful branches provide shade during the summer and a familiar silhouette through winter. The question is… Can you tell the difference between the oak species most commonly found on our landscape?
March 07, 2013
Sharmeen Shahidullah
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Storms can be terrifying. They remind us that nature is powerful, often unexpected, and can leave us helpless in its path. Take the recent snowstorms in Toronto. Not the worst Ontario has seen, but enough to put life on hold. Picture vehicles locked in garages, schools and businesses shut down. Those of us brave enough, or with no other choice, venture out at our own risk. These events tend to isolate us – we’re glued to our T.Vs and windows instead.
March 07, 2013
Michelle Bourdeau
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Fred is a good, reliable tree. As a hackberry, he is hardy, quick-growing and puts out a lot of leaves – which are some of the reasons the Janczur family welcomed Fred in spring 2007. According to Axelle Janczur, “Fred has made our garden more liveable in the summer and he provides nice shade.”
March 05, 2013
Andrea Bake
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Every year approximately 50 million birds pass through the Greater Toronto Area to get to their breeding grounds further north. This immense population influx starts in early spring with the arrival of the American robin (often despite the snow sitting on the ground).
March 01, 2013
Visitor (not verified)
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This time around I decided to make a hemlock tea from the needles of Eastern or Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Our native hemlocks are pretty impressive – they can live up to 600 years or longer - some may even reach 1000. As evergreen trees, they provide greenery all year round as well as dense cover and food for our urban wildlife. My first edible introduction to hemlocks was being asked to chew its needles and to describe its taste. “Christmas!” I proclaimed, while others said “winter” and “minty.”
February 28, 2013
Matthew Higginson
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Our necks are cranked up toward the sky. Thirty-two feet overhead, Ryan Kuz reaches out from his small white bucket and calmly brings a chainsaw down on a branch, cutting through until it snaps and gracefully swings away. Caught by the rope he’s secured around it, the massive branch is slowly lowered to the ground where we’re standing. I help the crew from Fairchild TV shimmy out of the way, careful not to slip on the icy interlocking brick of the alley.