stewardship

A new year brings new volunteer opportunities to steward, connect with and learn about the urban forest. Our volunteers play a critical role in supporting our community programs and helping us improve the urban forest. As a result, we strive to ensure that every volunteer that participates with LEAF – no matter the role – has a meaningful, fulfilling and fun experience! To highlight some of our upcoming volunteer opportunities, we chatted with three LEAF volunteers to get a first-hand account of their adventures.

This fall, LEAF helped grow the urban forest in Durham Region by planting over 750 native trees and shrubs on public land. We partnered with the City of Oshawa to complete our first naturalization planting project in Oshawa’s Central Park. Our Stewardship and Education Intern, Maiesha, reflects on their planting experience

This fall, LEAF helped grow the urban forest in Durham Region by planting over 750 native trees and shrubs on public land. We partnered with the Township of Whitby to complete our first naturalization planting project in Whitby’s Rosedale Park. Our Naturalization Assistant, Elina Shahmirian, reflects on their planting experience.

Have you ever wondered how plants get their names? On a sunny Saturday morning, our Stewardship Coordinator met with a group of garden stewards at the LEAF Learning Garden for a look into the facts and folklore behind plant names. The group explored the use of scientific vs common names, how plant names can lend clues to their identification, as well as the history, stories and meaning behind some of the most common native plant species found in the LEAF Learning Garden. Here are some highlights from the workshop:

This year, we are working with Toronto Community Housing (TCH) tenants to green their communities with almost 100 trees and over 200 shrubs. Meet one of the TCH tenants we have been lucky to work with: Annisha Stewart. Annisha is on a mission to green her community! She’s participated in multiple LEAF programs over the past two years, including the Tree Tenders training course this spring. Our TCH Stewardship Assistant, Nuradin, had the opportunity to interview Annisha about her experience with LEAF and the work she does for her community.