The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Forestry was honoured for its innovation in, and commitment to, urban forestry at Canada’s inaugural National Tree Day celebration and award ceremony on Wednesday. The award, which was made of reclaimed local wood, was presented by LEAF (Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests) and Tree Canada.
The event was a part of National Forest Week, which this year also coincides with the UN Year of Forests. It asked Canadians to reflect on the benefits trees provide, including clean air, greater wildlife habitats, and reductions in energy demand and consumption.
“Invest in a Green Future,” read the giant banner that marked the ceremony. Richard Brooks, Forest Campaign Coordinator for Greenpeace, urged people to show their own appreciation for trees, to “hug” one if necessary, and to continue to show an interest in a field where “innovation is needed.”
Sandy Smith, Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, said that while recognition came slowly to the program, people are becoming more aware of the prevalence of trees in urban environments, or “green infrastructure,” and “how that interfaces with ‘grey infrastructure’.”
U of T’s Faculty of Forestry, established in 1907, is the oldest forestry faculty in Canada and the second oldest in North America. According to Smith, it was where the term “urban forestry” was coined.
“We all know we benefit from [trees] but many people take them for granted,” said Janet McKay, Executive Director for LEAF.
LEAF is a not-for-profit charitable organization that promotes the planting and maintenance of trees in urban areas — such as backyards and schools — and facilitates carbon-offset projects. It was voted Toronto’s Best Activist Organization by NOW Magazine in 2010.
In a recent report, the city estimated that two-thirds of the city’s ash trees, approximately 600,000 on private property, will be harmed by the emerald ash borer, an invasive and highly destructive species of beetle. McKay says that such events in urban forests can drastically affect people’s quality of life.
“It’s a crisis, but it’s also an opportunity when people are listening,” she said.
The city’s manager of urban forest renewal, Beth McEwan, is reported to have said that private property owners are responsible for replacing dead trees to maintain “Toronto’s tree canopy.” McKay, though, says that replacing large trees with seedlings takes too long and that they don’t usually survive.
“Planting trees is good but we need to protect what we already have,” she stressed.
