Sat, Apr 21 2007 - Tree Planting - here in the GTA! (View Original Event Details)
|  |
It was a gorgeous morning spent with a group of truly beautiful people.
On a day when they could have been hiking or biking or running errands or sleeping in or even sitting on a patio, this group of TOC members instead met early in the morning in order to make a small difference for the planet. We were joining FODE (Friends of the Don East), who, along with the city of Toronto, provided all the supplies we needed to plant trees and shrubs in a rather barren-looking park.
The park itself used to include a stream, which was then made into a concrete sewer in the ‘60s, but then somewhat “naturalized” about a decade ago. The result is a pond made of rain washed off from the 401, surrounded by grass (planted in rather inhospitable rocks and “soil”). So this day, we were planting hardy native species (blackberry, hawthorn and aspen) that would help rehabilitate the soil so that in 5 years or so, grander trees like maple and oak can be planted in the same space.
If memory serves me correctly, there were about 250 trees and shrubs to be planted and mulched on this particular morning. And only 1 worker from the city of Toronto (Chris) and about 4 volunteers from FODE. In the words of one FODE volunteer, the TOC “saved the day” by showing up. Yay us!!!! :)
I’m so proud of how each and every one of the TOC members and guests worked so hard to plant their trees. Even after everything was planted, we all stuck around, helping gather all the tools and materials so they could be packed more easily.
But this event was also a lot of fun. The trees were placed close enough together that we could chat and laugh while we worked, and the short drives we made to the nearest public washrooms afforded us a chance to get to know each other better. Of course, it was rewarding to know we were helping a little corner of our planet and it was great to be outside. Judging by the comments during the event and the feedback I’ve received since, everyone really enjoyed the experience.
I’m looking forward to organizing more volunteer-oriented events. Stay tuned!!!
Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Erik Sonstenes at photos@torontooutdoorclub.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.