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.
Margaret assists at our planting and stewardship events by planting and mulching native trees and shrubs as well as with training and quality control.
What attracted you to your volunteer role at LEAF and what keeps you motivated? I believe so strongly in the need for, and value of, trees and plants. I wanted to be part of putting roots in the ground and leaves in the air beyond my own yard. In addition to just getting trees and shrubs in the ground, I am blown away by the community participants who come out to plant. I am a cheerleader!
Can you share a memorable experience? Families planting together. Moms and Dads showing their kids that they can be part of caring for the earth. People touching the earth in such an intimate way.
What, to you, is the most valuable contribution you have made in your role? Being part of the effort, supporting LEAF's wonderful team, other volunteers and communities. We are all in this together, to borrow a phrase.
Jordyn assists with community outreach and education by connecting with people about the urban forest and LEAF through social media. (Please note: Outreach opportunities are dependent on COVID-19 restrictions.)
What attracted you to your volunteer role at LEAF and what keeps you motivated? What attracted me to LEAF was their involvement in my local community, as well as their focus on the environment. The Social Media Outreach Team piqued my interest because it was a way to get involved remotely amidst the pandemic and on a more flexible schedule.
Can you share a memorable experience? A memorable experience I had was being able to help onboard a new member to the team. I also enjoyed our mid-year meeting where we were able to collaborate as a group and share ideas.
What, to you, is the most valuable contribution you have made in your role? I think my most valuable contribution is simply spreading information about LEAF and what they do to help get people thinking about the importance of the environment in their communities.
Melissa (bottom right, among others from her stewardship team) cares for one of our six Urban Forest Demonstration Gardens by growing native plants, weeding, watering, and litter pick-up and attends gardening workshops and training sessions.
What attracted you to your volunteer role at LEAF and what keeps you motivated? I really wanted to volunteer in the community. I liked LEAF because it allowed me to get outside, meet new people and learn something new. Being around plants makes me very happy. The garden actually needs tending. If you don’t make an effort to go you notice the difference. Garbage accumulates, invasive plants start to grow and the plants you are working with suffer. It felt good to work as a team and see a difference in the garden, week after week.
Can you share a memorable experience? My favourite part from the [past] season was introducing more plants to the garden. It gave us a chance to come together and interact with each other, which was a big deal during this pandemic. We got to learn about the plants, how to identify them and it ended up being a fun day.
What, to you, is the most valuable contribution you have made in your role? I think the most valuable contribution I made was just keeping [the garden] clean. I was always so surprised by how quickly garbage would accumulate. Going around and just getting rid of all the waste and plastic was very satisfying.
Thank you to Margaret, Jordyn and Melissa for sharing their stories as LEAF volunteers and for their tireless contributions to a healthy urban forest!
Interested in joining our volunteer community and learning more about how you can get involved? Register to attend our first Volunteer Orientation of 2022.
Please note that we only accept volunteers over the age of 18.
Sarah Halonen is the Stewardship Coordinator at LEAF.
Our Volunteer Outreach Team is supported by Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of Toronto and the Regional Municipality of York.
Our community planting and stewardship events are supported by the Regional Municipality of York, the City of Richmond Hill, Ontario Power Generation and Ontario Trillium Foundation.
The LEAF Urban Forest Demonstration Gardens are supported by Ontario Power Generation, The City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission.
