Blogs

Finding suitable habitat and food in urban areas is becoming increasingly difficult for overwintering birds, with urban stresses such as pollution, light, noise and low species diversity creating many challenges. When planning your yard, consider how you can build quality habitat for local birds by adding features that provide food, shelter, water and nesting sites. Check out these tips on how to create a backyard sanctuary for overwintering birds:

Here are four native shrub species that will look beautiful in your yard and offer a much-needed fall snack for local birds - and perhaps for you too!

Common Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

Common Elderberry is an attractive shrub and a huge hit with birds. It grows six to eight feet tall and wide, has large clusters of fragrant white flowers in summer, and bright green compound leaves that turn yellow in fall. It grows best in full to partial sun and can handle a wide range of soil types.

Over a July weekend, LEAF headed to York Region to steward three previously naturalized planting sites. Staff were joined by a dedicated team of volunteers and successfully removed invasive plant species while also providing ample mulch to the plants.

Weather helps define the state of our atmosphere – think hot, cold, rainy, dry, etc. Like us, trees have their own preferred range of environmental conditions and when pushed outside their comfort zone by weather, they can become stressed. Frequent weather changes and prolonged periods of extreme weather (e.g., a heatwave) can create new or worsen existing stresses for a tree, as well as impact its ability to adapt to and resist potential threats (pests, diseases etc.). Here are some of the top stress-inducing weather events and how you can protect your tree against them.