adopt-a-tree

May 2, 2015

Danforth Adopt-A-Street-Tree kick-off! May 9. noon-1:30pm

Big thanks to Catherine Dorton and our DECA Tree group for this post and for their unwavering commitment to our tree canopy

Have you noticed the new trees planted along the Danforth between Woodbine and Victoria Park? We need your help to care for these trees.

With the support of the Green Streets Grant awarded by TD Friends of the Environment Foundation and Tree Canada, LEAF has the opportunity to work closely with the City of Toronto and the Danforth community to develop an Adopt-a-Street-Tree Pilot Program for the 142 new street trees planted on the Danforth between Woodbine and Victoria Park.

Kick-off party will be on May 9 @ 12-1:30pm – see poster for details.

The objective of this pilot program is to foster a collaborative approach to protection and care of the city’s vulnerable street trees and to develop community tree care guidelines and a stewardship approach that can be replicated across Toronto.

http://www.yourleaf.org/adopt-street-tree

April 16, 2014

DECA Tree – Tree Care Education + Adopt-a-tree

Happy Spring from DECA Tree!

Thanks to our wonderful DECA Tree volunteers, Catherine and Anne, for this post and for their neighbourhood tree heroics!

Take a moment to stop and look, and you will see signs of new growth on the trees! Buds swelling and branches elongating and changing colour. For newly planted trees, care starts as soon as the ground is warmed up.

So, we’re kicking off 2014 with a TREE CARE EDUCATION session. Please come and meet other people who care about trees, and learn to care for your trees. We also have trees up for adoption!

DATE: Wednesday April 23 at 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.

PLACE: Danforth and Woodbine (southeast quadrant).

For the address, please email decaaat@gmail.com or call Anne Howatt at 416-617-6431.

There will be wine and beer, and coffee and tea. Please feel free to bring a snack, something to share or something to drink OR JUST SHOW UP! Bring along friends or neighbours who care about trees (their own) or are interested in adopting a tree (or two).

Thank you!

Anne Howatt and Catherine Dorton (Volunteers DECA TREE)

Please check out our FACEBOOK PAGE for UPDATES about NEW CAMPAIGNS and RESOURCES.

August 8, 2013

Events and volunteer opportunities!

We are doing our best to keep up with the neighbourhood, but with jobs, kids, vacations and a relentless summer cold, we’ve been a bit behind! Here are a couple of events and volunteer opportunities to note!

First off, our dear friend, Board member, pop-up queen and all-around volunteer extraordinaire Catherine Porter is leaving us for a year abroad. Here is her own column about her latest adventure to Senegal – we’ll miss you Cath!

Events:

Wheels on the Danforth – Saturday, August 10

It might not be on our section of Danforth, but there is a pretty fun-sounding event going on east of us that you should know about: Wheels on the Danforth. Car show, kids zone, entertainment, craft fair, beer garden – all to raise money for the community! Check out their website for more info: http://www.wheelsonthedanforth.ca

Movie Under the Stars @ East Lynn – August 22

We’ll remind you again, but mark you calendars with this year’s date for Movie Under the Stars at East Lynn Park. On August 22, come for the market and stay for the Princess Bride. Bring your blankets, snacks and six-fingered friends for this family classic.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Monarch Park Adopt-a-Tree

In addition to DECA’s own adopt-a-tree program, (click here for our blog post about that) the Friends of Monarch Park have a program in Monarch Park and are looking for more volunteers. Please visit http://friendsofmonarchpark.com/adopt-a-tree/ for more information.

Canada Day at Stan Wadlow

Did you attend this year’s festivities? Were you waiting around for hours for the rides to get going? Did you think the rides were a bit rough around the edges? DId the roller coaster operator keep your kids waiting while he walked around under the ride tightening all of the hitches with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth? There were lots of great things about the event, but there’s definitely room for improvement – I mean, Canada’s birthday deserves nothing but the best!

A casual chat about it in passing with Janet Davis revealed that the organizing committee needs people on it. If you are able to volunteer to add your 2 cents to the decisions that are made about East York Canada Day 2014, please email Councillor Davis by clicking here. CIty money goes into this event, so it’s in all of our interest to make sure that it’s spent on top quality fun for our whole community!!

DECA

Since I’m writing about volunteer opportunities, I would be remiss if I didn’t put in a plug for DECA. While people may think that we’re a well-oiled machine of neighbourhood do-gooding, (ha!) we are actually just regular neighbourhood volunteers, and we’re always looking for more help. Do you have a great idea for our ‘hood? Let us know! Email us here with your thoughts and we’ll figure out the next steps.

Follow us on Twitter @DECAdiaries – why not?

July 7, 2013

We need you to adopt a tree!

This time of year I’m so thankful for the glorious shade provided by the trees along my street. The DECA Tree group is looking for volunteers to ensure that our community trees can grow and thrive – thanks to those of you who have already taken this on, but we need more help. Keep reading to learn more…

Thriving trees clean and cool our air, and provide wonderful shade.

Every year, the City of Toronto plants thousands of young trees in our front yards, on our boulevards and in our parks. Sadly, most go without water and suffer from stunted growth. Too many more die from neglect. For so many good reasons, we need these trees to thrive!

Would you like to adopt a tree in the neighbourhood? It can be a rewarding project for individuals, families and streets.

The DECA Tree group is busy compiling an inventory of City trees that need water this summer. Trees can lose up to 95% of their roots when transplanted so they need to be watered regularly during this critical phase. If you are interested in adopting one of these trees, please contact DECA Tree by clicking here. We will give you the basics of tree care and find a tree near you.

Thank you!

Five valiant golden honey locust trees, just north of Woodbine subway station along Strathmore Avenue, have been adopted by East Toronto Climate Action Group (ETCAG) with support from Valu-mart. Perhaps you have seen volunteer extraordinaire Susan Crofts with her buckets, giving these beauties the many gallons of water they need each week? These trees were planted in fall 2010 as a joint effort between the TTC and local tree advocate Mary-Margaret McMahon (who has since been elected to City Council!). Thank you Susan and ETCAG!

trees