The #myBackyardBiodiversity Challenge | LEAF | Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests

LEAF and the Toronto Wildlife Centre (TWC) are joining forces to raise awareness on the connection between urban wildlife and the urban forest. Supported by Ontario Power Generation, the Backyard Biodiversity campaign has returned for 2019! And, this year, we are challenging Toronto residents to share what they’re doing to improve our #BackyardBiodiversity.

Blue jay on a tree branch(© 2018 David Slaughter / LEAF)

More and more, social media is becoming part of our daily lives and how we engage with each other. As such, community outreach through Twitter, Instagram and Facebook is built into our Backyard Biodiversity campaign. Every week, the campaign partners share interesting and educational information using the hashtag #BackyardBiodiversity. These social media posts focus on ways to improve the lives of local urban wildlife by improving the health of our urban forest.

Deer grazing in a backyard(© 2011 LEAF client)

The campaign started last year and, this year, we’re taking it one step further. We’re issuing the #myBackyardBiodiversity challenge! Every week, our followers hear from us on ways to improve our local Backyard Biodiversity. Now, we want to hear from you!

Share with us the small (or big!) ways in which you are supporting local wildlife, increasing native plant diversity, looking after the nature around you or simply appreciating the biodiversity in our city! Did you plant native species this spring? Took a walk and chanced upon local wildlife? Are pollinators congregating around a neighbour’s flowering garden? Are you donating branches to the TWC for patient enrichment after pruning your yard? Let us know by sharing it on social media using the hashtag #myBackyardBiodiversity!

Monarch butterfly and native bee fly towards a flower(© 2017 David Slaughter / LEAF)

The #myBackyardBiodiversity challenge comes along with an increased effort to do more than just educate; the 2019 campaign is looking to engage. Along with our social media challenge, we will be engaging in person with residents of two Toronto neighbourhoods: The Pocket (Danforth/Donlands area) and Bloordale/Brockton (Bloor/Lansdowne area). With the help of 14 youths, and in partnership with local community groups, we’ll be doing door-to-door canvassing plus hosting community events. Our goal: make it easy for residents to improve local biodiversity by planting native species through the LEAF Backyard Tree Planting Program. Special incentives and other resources will be provided! Learn more about this exciting initiative on the Young Urban Forest Leaders (YUFL) page of our website.

Chipmunk on a wooden fence(© 2012 Oleksii Voronin (CC BY-SA 3.0))

Other #BackyardBiodiversity activities include:

More educational blogs
A brand new factsheet: Chirp, Chirp, Hurray! Backyard Biodiversity: How to help local birds in your yard
Calls to action, like: Help the TWC’s patient enrichment program by donating branches (especially ones with fruits or nuts still attached) and other seasonal needs

Follow #BackyardBiodiversity on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for weekly updates. Be the first to read our brand new content by signing up for LEAF News and TWC News!

Daniela Serodio is the Marketing and Communications Coordinator at LEAF.

The #BackyardBiodiversity campaign is a partnership initiative with the Toronto Wildlife Centre and is supported by Ontario Power Generation.

LEAF offers a subsidized Backyard Tree Planting Program for private property. The program is supported by The Town of Newmarket, The Regional Municipality of York, City of Toronto, Toronto Hydro, Oakvillegreen, Town of Ajax, and Ontario Power Generation. For details on how you can participate, visit http://yourleaf.org.

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Backyard Biodiversity