September 14, 2021
Meandra Provencal
Tags: Urban Forest Champion
A passionate gardener and bird feeder from Georgina, Lynn Slaney is working to create a landscape that can be enjoyed by her and her family, as well as local wildlife. From oak and elm to cedar and chokeberry, this Urban Forest Champion has planted all sorts of native trees, shrubs and perennials that provide important food and shelter for local birds, bunnies and more!
September 07, 2021
Sarah Halonen
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:
August 27, 2021
Guest Blogger
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.
August 19, 2021
Sarah Halonen
Tags: stewardship
The first two years of a newly planted tree's life are crucial for its survival. That's why we hosted two volunteer stewardship events at recent naturalization planting sites in York Region this July. Our tree-rific team removed 54 bags of invasive plant species and mulched over 600 native trees and shrubs. In this blog, our new Stewardship Coordinator, Sarah Halonen, shares their first fieldwork experience!
August 17, 2021
Guest Blogger
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’ve been lucky to work with: Len Mirander. Len contributes a tremendous amount of time caring for his community, from protecting the trees provided by LEAF to tending to the community garden. Our TCH Stewardship Assistant, Ruiqi, had the pleasure of speaking with Len about his community work.
August 16, 2021
Adriana Rezai-S...
Providing your trees with regular water and nutrients is the key to ensuring they live long, healthy lives. Still, tree diseases can affect the aesthetics and health of your tree, and even have fatal consequences if left untreated.
August 09, 2021
Guest Blogger
Tags:
Walk past any of Toronto’s parks on a sunny day and you’ll notice, without fail, someone lounging under a tall majestic tree. It’s no secret that the best way to contend with the dog days of summer is by finding a nice, shady spot. But big cities like Toronto will likely experience more and more intense heat waves in the future. Is that same tree canopy the answer? Here’s how our urban forest is fighting to protect us from extreme heat.
July 28, 2021
Guest Blogger
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've been so lucky to work with: Aisha Chohan. Aisha participated in the Young Urban Forest Leaders (YUFL) program in 2020. Now, in 2021 she is engaging her neighbours to beautify their greenspace with native shrubs and fostering a sense of camaraderie in her community. Hoping to inspire others, she shares her experience!
July 15, 2021
Janet McKay
Tags: Urban Forest Champion
Danijela Puric-Mladenovic has recently joined the LEAF Board of Directors. In this blog, our Executive Director, Janet McKay interviews Danijela about her experience and her motivation for becoming a LEAF Board member.
June 28, 2021
Guest Blogger
Tags: Community Programs
Throughout May and early June, LEAF staff members were busy bees naturalizing public lands in the City of Richmond Hill. As a first-time tree planter, I was amazed that we were able to plant over 700 native trees and shrubs in just seven days! As I reflect back on the planting days, every day was unique and offered new learning opportunities for me. Here are three lessons I learned as a first-time tree planter!