January 20, 2021
Mikayla Richards
Tags: Urban Forest Champion
Like many parents, Cheryl Gula is passionate about ensuring there is a healthy planet for her son as he grows up. This Urban Forest Champion is doing her part to make sure that happens by using the available space on her Markham property to plant trees. Her backyard trees will not only benefit her son, but the winder community for generations to come!
January 11, 2021
Jess Wilkin
It can be tricky to identify deciduous trees after their leaves drop. However, winter presents a great opportunity to learn about other tree features, like buds or bark, to identify your neighbourhood trees. Practice makes perfect, so get out this season and enhance your Winter ID skills with these tips!
January 06, 2021
Brenna Anstett
The New Year has just begun and we’re busy preparing for our spring 2021 tree planting season! As we look ahead, I find myself reflecting on last year’s accomplishments. Despite having to postpone our spring season as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, we still managed to plant 1,176 native trees and shrubs on private property. Furthermore, we successfully expanded into parts of Durham Region, making it our busiest and most rewarding planting season yet!
January 04, 2021
Brian Millward
Throughout 2020, our Community Programs team was tasked with adapting many of our programs and events to follow ever-evolving public health guidelines. Despite the many changes, we were able to continue to engage volunteers and community members with fun and informative programs aimed at protecting and enhancing the urban forest. Here are some of the year’s accomplishments.
December 21, 2020
Daniela Serodio
Tags: Backyard Biodiversity
Did you know that the plant choices we make in our gardens can impact the urban forest and the wildlife that call it home? Non-native, invasive species continue to be popular garden choices and are widely available for purchase. Unfortunately, these species can escape our yards and wreak havoc in natural areas! The good news is that there are many beautiful native species that can be planted in their stead that have similar characteristics and only positive consequences for nature!
December 18, 2020
Daniela Serodio
Michael Taylor self-identifies as an “apartment kid” who didn’t have access to a backyard growing up. Now as an adult, raising a family of his own, this Urban Forest Champion is committed to providing his kids with the perfect outdoor space. And, no backyard is complete without the addition of native trees and shrubs!
December 07, 2020
Daniela Serodio
Meet Paul Zhang, a Markham resident and Urban Forest Champion! Nine years ago, Paul and his family moved to a new development. Their new house and the life they built were great! But, one thing was missing: backyard trees.
December 02, 2020
Daniela Serodio
When Cynthia Brown moved into her Toronto home in 2012, she described the backyard as a neglected rectangle of dirt and weeds. This Urban Forest Champion saw this as an opportunity to create the backyard of her dreams, an outdoor extension of her home full of native species. Eight years later, her backyard is all that and more!
November 11, 2020
Lam Tran
Being a young adult is a time of tremendous growth, both personally and professionally, as people move into “the real world.” Navigating this transition can be difficult, particularly for underrepresented individuals looking to enter a field dominated by other demographic groups. LEAF developed the Young Urban Forest Leaders (YUFL) program to support underrepresented young folks who are at the beginning of their careers in urban forestry. Funded in part by the City of Toronto through an Urban Forestry Grant, this program sets participants up to be in the driver’s seat of their own career.
November 09, 2020
Visitor (not verified)
As part of the Toronto Community Housing (TCH) Planting and Stewardship Initiative, funded in part by the City of Toronto through an Urban Forestry Grant, Janice Lam, LEAF Program Assistant, and I delivered 247 native shrubs to 15 TCH properties in late September. Before these fun-filled delivery days, we hosted a virtual shrub care training session for TCH tenants. The tenants, both new and seasoned urban forest stewards, will be helping native woody plants survive and thrive on TCH properties!