March 13, 2012
Andrea Bake
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One of my favourite fall activities is going to my local apple orchard to pick a bag of Mutsu apples, which (surprisingly) does not last a week with my family. In the winter, I scour markets and grocery stores for the best specimens that have not succumbed to becoming a mushy disaster.
February 29, 2012
Mark Sherman
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As a tree enthusiast, most walks I take are spent with my head up in the canopy. I observe trees for their form, leaves, over all health, wildlife and the urban stresses they face. During the winter, my gaze shifts. I like the opportunity to examine the naked tree’s architecture and to practice my non-leaf based identification skills - relying on the more subtle tells of the twigs and bark. With the added challenge of winter identification, I have found myself taking more time to let my eyes wander. Recently I have been noticing some neat tree-connected art around our city.
February 23, 2012
Matthew Higginson
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Salt. It's on our tables, in our food and on our sidewalks. It has been linked to high-blood pressure and cardiovascular disease in us; discoloured leaves and sparse foliage in our canopies overhead. And as pressure grows to get Canadians to ease up on our intake, it may also be time to put our trees on a low-sodium diet.
February 22, 2012
Guest Blogger
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The Guelph Urban Forest Friends (GUFF) is a group of citizen-based activists who took local tree preservation into their own hands. When faced with the city’s decision to cut down more than 20 mature trees we organized an action to preserve one of the remaining mature trees using a group of five bikes.
February 09, 2012
Matthew Higginson
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Toyin Coker and I sit across from each other at a chess table in the park outside the Wychwood Barns. It’s a sunny afternoon and a few birds fly overhead in the cool, late November air. I ask her to describe herself in a word. She floats a few, “natural mentor...gardener...I guess you could say a kind of community builder." I'm not totally convinced those encompass all that she is. We're here to talk permaculture. And if there's one thing I'm sure of, its that she is a woman who has realized her dream.
February 02, 2012
Guest Blogger
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We are fortunate to go to school in the heart of urban Toronto. Recently our green industries class had an opportunity to explore the biodiversity in our area, and Amanda Gomm from LEAF came to our school to share her knowledge.
February 01, 2012
Matthew Higginson
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Milne Hollow is located along the Don Valley, sitting between the edges of Scarborough and North York. Surrounded by a major highway in what is a former industrial site, it is one of the most magnificent examples of how diverse our canopy can be. When I first arrived I was struck by the way it stood beaming with colour, so full of life. This is no accident – the city of Toronto has been working to renaturalize this site for over a decade and in 2011 LEAF signed on to help them achieve their goals.
January 06, 2012
Mark Sherman
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I want to share a story with LEAF blog readers. It’s the story of how two relaxed keeners planted a native butterfly garden, repurposed downtown grown trees (cleared for development) into seating and planted the next generation of canopy at our local library. It’s the story of seizing the potential of a lawn and creating a shady outdoor reading room.
December 20, 2011
Jessica Piskorowski
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Our Urban Forest Demonstration Gardens (UFDGs) offer an amazing opportunity to enhance our urban forest and beautify available green spaces across Toronto. They have created partnerships amongst organizations and fostered a sense of communal ownership around our natural areas. Our garden at Spadina Station – Walmer Exit has been a perfect example of seeing these opportunities in action.
December 19, 2011
Susan De Rosa
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As urban dwellers, we often take tree canopies for granted, or assume that the grey concrete we work in is just the way life is. The hidden treasure of this city is in the people who take initiatives to bring positive change.