Toronto’s urban forest is on the decline. Between old age, physical damage, predatory insects, disease, drought, and lack of proper care, Toronto’s trees are having a tough time surviving. The City is working on this problem, and has even pledged to double the tree canopy coverage from 17% to 34% by 2050.
How can you get involved in the urban reforestation effort? Read on!
Free Backyard Tree Planting Program: This spring and fall, GreenHere is offering free (free!) backyard trees to residents of Davenport West to address the area's lack of existing green space and canopy coverage. The available species include fruiting, flowering, coniferous, and deciduous trees.
Eligibility: To be eligible for the project, homeowners must:
- Live in the Davenport West area
- Have an unpaved backyard space of at least 4m x 4m
- Be able to water, mulch, and prune the tree as necessary
More Tree Programs: LEAF (another Toronto-based environmental non-profit) provides low-cost backyard trees and shrubs to homeowners throughout the GTA and the surrounding region. You can contact them at (416) 413-9244 or visit their website
The City of Toronto provides free trees for planting on City-owned property in front of residences. To find out more about the City’s program, you can contact the Urban Forestry department at (416) 338-TREE or visit their website here.
Tree Care: Already have a tree? Be sure to give your tree a little extra TLC during the next few months because it’s going to be a hot, dry summer. Remember that trees are plants, and they need to be watered regularly just like your flowers and veggies. All you need to do is leave your hose near the base of your tree on a slow trickle for 20 minutes a week, preferably during the morning or evening. That’s it!
I will be featuring more information on urban forestry, so stay tuned!
Links:
- The Star: Toronto’s urban forest is ailing
- GreenHere: Free Backyard Tree Program
- LEAF: Backyard Tree Planting Program
- City of Toronto: Free frontyard trees
0 comments:
Post a Comment