December 18, 2012
Sarah Berneche
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When I first started volunteering with LEAF well over a year ago, I was impressed with the warmth and friendliness expressed by the staff as well as my fellow volunteers. While Toronto has a reputation for being cold and unwelcoming, LEAF’s recent end-of-year Best Forest Friends (BFF) Social proved otherwise. On a mild December evening in the Annex, volunteers, staff, board members, and friends of LEAF - past and present - filed in to the Centre for Social Innovation on Bathurst St. for a celebration of the year of hard work, dedication and accomplishments.
December 13, 2012
Visitor (not verified)
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Planting this fall, I couldn't help but remember Joe O’Connor’s sentiment in the National Post as he recalled his ‘90s tree planting days, “Planting sucks. Oh Lord, how it sucks. But I loved it.” I’ve thought the same thing several times across Toronto and York Region this season - but for me, loving it outshines the challenges. LEAF planted about 280 trees this fall. Andrea, our Field Operations Supervisor, and I were responsible for almost a quarter. With the cooling air and stunning fall colours accompanying us outdoors, the experience was highly memorable.
December 10, 2012
Sarah Berneche
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Urban Air, a Kickstarter project lead by artist Stephen Glassman, is "an artwork, symbol, and instrument for a green future" that aims to transform existing urban billboards into hanging bamboo gardens, effectively replacing traditional advertising space with green, sustainable art. While incorporating the urban forest into cityscapes across the globe sounds like a dream come true, let's take a moment to consider some of the implications.
December 07, 2012
Michelle Bourdeau
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As we enter into the holiday season, filled with hot chocolates, snowflakes and festive activities - it only seems appropriate to feature a lovely young tree whose namesake was inspired by a tale of silver skates.
December 06, 2012
Sarah Berneche
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With the holiday season rapidly approaching, you may find yourself weighing your Christmas tree options. While many households are interested in doing their part to protect the environment, which tree option is the greenest? Here’s the good news: there are plenty of ways to green your holiday season regardless of whether you opt for a fresh or artificial tree (or something completely outside of the box!) Below are a few pros and cons to consider when selecting your tree.
November 22, 2012
Sarah Melamed
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As I finish up my graduate studies, one thing has become clear: nothing in conservation happens without buy-in and support from everyone. Conservation is just too big and complicated for an elite team of professionals to make all of the calls on their own. No matter how much good research exists, it can’t be completely effective unless it takes to heart what is relevant and important to all of us.
November 19, 2012
Amanda Gomm
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For the past three and a half years, LEAF has been my extended family. When I was first hired as Volunteer Coordinator in 2009, the committed group of volunteers and Tree Tenders welcomed me with open arms. I’ve never felt more accepted into a community. But like a tree, I have grown and the time has come to put out new branches.
November 16, 2012
Michelle Bourdeau
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About a month ago, we sent out an open call for stories from past participants of LEAF’s Backyard Tree Planting Program – and we got some pretty great ones! As a result, we’ve been inspired to share them through a new, regular blog series… Lifestyles of the Green and Leafy.
November 14, 2012
Al Yoshiki
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With a week of high winds and rain - the lingering effects of Hurricane Sandy – we are all waiting on Jessica to see if the seasonal clean up of the St. Clair Urban Forest Demonstration Garden is a no-go. But as the clock rolls around, the email arrives and we, the stewards of the garden, are ready for the last hurrah of a very hot and dry season.
November 07, 2012
Jennifer Gagné
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Tree identification is a cool skill to have even for the fun of it. Like pointing out the constellations, it can be a great way to impress your friends. But even more than that, being able to tell the difference between a black walnut and a green ash can give you a greater appreciation for the urban forest - and how to properly manage it.