Its greatest potential for growth stands in our backyards. Our urban forest has declined from 23% to 17% over the past decade. With the emerging Emerald Ash Borer threatening a further 8.4% (the portion of our urban forest that is ash), planting trees to add to our canopy is more pressing than ever. So what kind of a city do you want to live in?
These ads, developed in collaboration with Ontario Power Generation's Biodiversity Program speak to the benefits of urban trees in a light-hearted manner, looking to the spaces that could use their presence. In a cute way, they point out some of the benefits - but beyond holding hammocks and piñatas, they also help to create healthier, safer and more connected communities. A deeper reading may suggest that planting trees is not just for our convenience, but for our children's well being.
Last night, after a talk I had given in Scarborough, audience members came up to me and told stories about their neighbourhoods, what they gain from their trees, and just how far they would be willing to go to preserve the canopy. One person said it would be hard to imagine our city without its green spaces.
And I can certainly think of cold winter winds that left me seeking refuge next to a wall of conifers. During hot summers I've spent hours with friends hanging out in the shade of trees in Trinity Bellwoods. On the other hand I can remember being caught out in empty, open spaces - feeling like I was going to loose my face to the cold, or melt away in the heat. And this leads me to a question: can you think of a time when you could have really used a tree?
The Backyard Tree Planting Program is supported by Ontario Power Generation, York Region, Ontario Trillium Foundation, The City of Markham and Toronto Hydro.
