Blogs

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.

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.

Street trees are often neglected and I have long felt that communities should take some responsibility for their care. In my neighbourhood, on Bayview Avenue north of Davisville subway station, there is a four-block commercial strip that thrives – but unlike the businesses, the trees aren’t doing so well. The west side is lined with trees in concrete planters but the east is presently without any greenery due to sidewalk reconstruction. The difference between the two is stark and so I decided to attempt a tree care project.

On November 30, the Ontario Forestry Association wrapped up the UN’s International Year of Forests by having an evening film festival at the University of Toronto. In a large auditorium, I and about 160 other people watched 6 short films ranging from a documentary on towering Redwoods to the well-known NFB animation the Log Driver’s Waltz. The OFA touched upon many different connections people have with not only the forest, but nature as a whole, and educate other viewpoints at the same time.