For many urbanites (especially those of us without backyards!), our parks offer us vital green spaces where we can escape the hustle and bustle of busy city life. And the trees growing within them provide cool shade during the summer months, a perfect peaceful canopy under which to stretch out and read a book or enjoy a picnic with friends. Definitely something to be grateful for!
However, just like the ones growing on private property, the trees in our parks need a little TLC to thrive in the early years after planting, so that they can grow big and strong and provide countless environmental, social and economic benefits in our neighbourhoods. This is the impetus behind the Adopt-A-Park-Tree program, through which local communities work together with the City, Park People and LEAF to enhance the urban tree canopy and Toronto's parks.
Modeled on the tree stewardship program started by the amazing volunteers of Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park back in 2006, this program connects residents with newly planted park trees. Volunteers sign-up to perform basic tree-tending techniques such as mulching, weeding, and weekly watering with the goal of helping trees thrive in the first three to five years after planting – the toughest years for tree survival.
Signing up to adopt a park tree is a great way to give back to the urban forest on National Tree Day. I can speak from experience regarding how easy– and yet how rewarding – the whole process is! This spring, I adopted a pair Kentucky coffeetrees near the north end of Trinity Bellwoods Park. Back in May I met with Laura, the park’s dedicated Adopt-A-Tree Coordinator, to learn about the program, “meet” my trees and receive a demonstration on how to care for my new leafy friends.
Since then, I’ve been back every week to ensure these two young trees get the water they need to survive, and to pull out any weeds that pop up around them. It’s just a little way to give back – each visit takes me less than half an hour (and it’s a great excuse to go walk in the park or visit the farmers’ market!). But I know that this small amount of help I can provide, when joined up with the efforts of the numerous other volunteers who care for the newly planted trees across the park, can make a big difference.
Becoming a tree adopter is an easy way to make a big difference. This past year, LEAF has had the opportunity to work with some amazing community groups as they launched their Adopt-a-Park-Tree programs. There seem to be new groups popping up all the time, all across the city! To find out if an Adopt-a-Park-Tree program exists in your neighbourhood, visit Park People’s website to find a list of Friends of Parks groups.
No group in your ‘hood? No problem! This year, Park People and LEAF created the Adopt-a-Park-Tree Manual with significant input from Michaelle McLean of Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park and support from Trees for Life. The manual includes core educational resources and information to guide Friends of Parks groups in developing their own Adopt-a-Park-Tree program. The manual can be viewed online here, and it’s got everything you could possibly need to get started!
This Wednesday, September 24th, why not celebrate National Tree Day by taking care of a tree or two in a park near you?
Melissa Williams is Residential Planting Programs Manager for LEAF. The Adopt-a-Park-Tree Program is supported by Trees for Life and Ontario Power Generation.