Blogs

Last fall I had the pleasure of seeing Peter Simon speak about boulevard trees at the annual OUFC (Ontario Urban Forestry Council) Conference. He grabbed my attention right away with a historic introduction to how and where street trees first came to be and then moved to our very own city, back when horse and buggy were still the main source of wheeled-transportation. I fell in love with the topic.

We've kicked off another spring planting season. At LEAF the entire staff gets an opportunity to go out in the field for at least one day. This means our marketing team takes time away from setting up interviews and tweaking websites to plant trees. I love the concept and needless to say it’s is a welcomed break from the glow of my computer screen. But even more than that, it’s a refreshing experience each time it rolls around.

By now, many of you have likely heard of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). We’ve received many calls from homeowners with questions and concerns about the invasive insect pest here at the LEAF office. Signs and symptoms of infestation are starting to appear throughout the City of Toronto and southern parts of York Region, and in Scarborough, street tree removals are starting to make the anticipated loss of ash trees visibly – and viscerally – comprehensible.

A bird of prey with it’s claws full. A bandit looking for breakfast. These incredible photos were sent to us by one of our long-standing volunteers. Jocelyn, who calls Parkdale home, says she sees all kinds of animals scurrying around while she's working in her naturalized garden.