ACER presented last night at Cabbagetown reLEAF’s Community Meeting: Cabbagetown Urban Forest Management Plan. The Urban Forest Management Plan was developed by U of T forestry students. ACER presented a talk on how to engage community in improving Cabbagetown’s urban forest. Sadia Butt, a PhD Candidate at U of T

      Come join Climate’s Sake in launching our TreeCaching trail at the Humber Arboretum! The celebration will be February 3, 2015 at 1:00pm. Come scan tagged trees, identify, learn interesting facts about species, and discover scientific data related to each specific tree. For more information or to RSVP for

This weekend ACER attended the Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario (COEO) Make Peace With Winter Conference! We presented a “Trees in Winter” workshop, teaching participants how to identify trees based on silhouettes and bark, how to measure tree growth and about our TreeCaching program. Examining a tree silhouette Image 1

ACER is featured in this article by Sadia Butt, a PhD Candidate at the Faculty of Forestry at U of Toronto on How can Different ways of knowing – and producing knowledge – be useful for understanding and managing urban ecosystems? http://cabbagetownreleaf.typepad.com/urbanforest/2014/12/how-can-different-ways-of-knowingand-of-producing-knowledgebe-useful-for-understanding-and-managing-.html  

ACER hopes you all have a happy holiday season! View our newsletter for the latest news: http://eepurl.com/-A2y5

On December 12th, 2014, the students at St. Ignatius Jesuit Centre in Guelph measured trees planted this past spring to collect the first growth measurements for their long-term tree monitoring data. This site is now a part of ACER’s Tracking for Success program, where 10% of each species is monitored

ACER volunteers and the Grade 3/4 students remeasured Assumption Catholic E.S.’s P4C plot. The trees look very large for their age- the school was built on land that was previously a peach farm. Students learnt how to measure root collar diameter, crown width and diameter at 1.3 m. See photo

ACER staff and volunteers measured Quaker Road P.S.’s P4C plot. It was a windy day (wind gust speed reached up to 91 km/hr!). The trees were browsed, but looked healthy. See photo gallery below for photos from 2011-2014. Planting Day 2011 Image 1 of 21

The P4C trees were remeasured by ACER staff and volunteers at Robert Bateman High School in Burlington, ON. The P4C site was planted in 2008. See the photo gallery below for photos from 2008-2014. Planting Day 2008 Image 1 of 28

Thanks to the students at West Credit S.S. in Mississauga for measuring their trees that were planted in 2011. The trees are mostly healthy but were browsed (eaten by animals) near the root collar. The students watched our training videos and then took growth measurements such as root collar diameter,

Thank you again to all those who volunteered their time to plant, monitor, and restore riparian areas throughout Mississauga. The data, photos, and stories from the planting and monitoring days are now available on the Riparian Rangers web page.

16 students from City School in Toronto completed the Riparian Rangers program at Wildwood Park (Area D 3). Students planted and monitored 21 trees and shrubs, pulled buckthorn and garlic mustard (invasive species) and removed litter from the area. Thank you to all the students hard work and for being

Thanks to all who came to our 2nd Community Mapping Workshop, held at the Fort Erie Conservation Clubhouse in Stevensville, ON. Participants identified areas of ecological concern in the Niagara region. Groups were formed for specific areas in the Niagara region so that each group could review maps provided by

On Nov. 6th, 2014 the students from Blaydon Public School planted trees and shrubs at Wildwood Park (Area 2). Students monitored 20 trees/shrubs along the riparian area and also cleaned up litter and pulled invasive species (garlic mustard). Congratulations to the students for completing the Riparian Rangers program! Students taking

On Wed. Nov. 5th, 2014, the students from Pierre Laporte Middle School planted and monitored trees and shrubs at Wildwood Park (Area D1) as part of the Riparian Rangers program in partnership with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Students also removed litter and invasive species (buckthorn). Thank you to

Thanks to the students at Christ the King S.S. in Georgetown for remeasuring their trees in their P4C site. The site was planted in 2008. Unfortunately, a Bur Oak had Gypsy Moth egg mass on it but other Bur Oaks were healthy. Students learnt how to measure root collar, crown

Thank you to the 220 adult and youth volunteers who participated in the Riparian Rangers Mississauga program! Thanks to you, over 750 native tree and shrub species were planted to restore priority riparian areas in terms of natural habitat for native species, extend buffer zones to improve flood protection, and

Thank you to the students at East York Collegiate for planting and monitoring trees and shrubs at Valleywood Park! Students also removed litter and pulled buckthorn from the site. The event was in partnership with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Congratulations to the students for becoming Riparian Rangers! Before Image

On Wednesday, October 22nd ACER and 19 youth volunteers from St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga came together to restore another riparian zone. Over 300 native trees and shrubs were planted earlier this month which contributed to the City of Mississauga’s One Million Tree goal, and these

The grade 8 classes at Treeline Public School in Brampton planted 16 trees and 45 shrubs as part of the Planting for Change (P4C) program. This outdoor laboratory provides students with a chance to measure annual growth of trees to study climate change impacts on ecosystems. Treeline Public School is

Thank you to the Humberwood Youth Group from the Toronto Public Library for volunteering their time to remeasure the trees in the Planting for Change Plot and our 2nd Biodiversity Experimental Plot at Humber Arboretum (behind Humber College North campus). The 2nd Biodiversity Experimental Plot contains Sycamore and Yellow Birch

Thanks to the entire student body of Smith Public School in Grimsby for planting and monitoring the trees and shrubs as part of our Planting for Change schoolyard program. The artwork done by the students in advance depicting their love for the trees was beautiful and moving. Artwork, data, photos

On Saturday, October 18th ACER partnered with the City of Mississauga and EcoSource to deliver a community event as part of the Riparian Rangers Mississauga program. Approximately 95 youth and adult volunteers from the Mississauga Chinese Alliance Church and the Peel Environmental Youth Alliance (PEYA) showed their support for restoring

The green industry class at St. Joan of Arc S.S. in Mississauga remeasured the trees in their P4C plot, planted in 2013. The P4C plot was turned into an outdoor classroom with the addition of rocks for seats. The data will be posted online on St. Joan of Arc S.S.

On October 17th, we remeasured the P4C trees with the students at St. Gerard Separate School in Mississauga. Some students planted the trees in 2013 and were able to measure the growth after one year. Thanks to all that participated in collecting this data – it will be posted online

The grade 9 Geography class at Oakville Trafalgar High School remeasured the trees in their P4C plot. Most trees are now considered mature (>4cm in Diameter at 1.3m) as the plot was planted in 2008. Students learnt how to use clinometers to measure the total height of the trees and

The students at Connaught Public School in St. Catharines remeasured the trees planted in their P4C plot in 2013. The weather was unusually warm for this time of year. The data will be posted on Connaught Public School’s P4C website.

The students at St. Michael Catholic E.S. located in Niagara-on-the-Lake remeasured the trees planted in 2013. The Hop Trees were unfortunately heavily browsed (eaten) by animals but other trees were healthy. The data will be posted to St. Michael’s Catholic E.S. P4C webpage this season.

ACER participated at the Halton Forest Festival Public Days and Educational Days! Thanks to Conservation Halton for organizing a great event and to all the students who participated in our Tree Monitoring activity at Rattlesnake Point! The data will be entered into our database and can be found under Measuring

THe students at Kipling Collegiate Institute established their P4C outdoor climate change laboratory by planting and monitoring 16 trees and 45 shrubs on Wednesday October 8th, 2014. Thanks to all those who participated in this project. We look forward to remeasuring the trees next year.

The students at Tom Thomson P.S. (all 450 of them!) helped to plant our Planting for Change plot in Burlington, ON. We appreciate all of the students’ help in creating this plot. Benchmark measurements were taken. Thank you to Oakville Green, Friends of the Sheldon Creek Watershed and our volunteers

The students at Dr. G. J. MacGillivray P.S. in Courtice, ON remeasured the trees planted in 2012. This P4C plot is our furthest plot east (located east of Oshawa).

The grade 3 and 4 students remeasured their trees at Herb Campbell P.S. in Caledon. The trees were planted in 2008. The students were introduced to clinometers, equipment used to measure the height of a tree. Thank you to the parents, Anthony Persaud of Peel District School Board, and the

Thanks to the students who remeasured the trees at Applewood Heights S.S. in Mississauga on Sept. 26th, 2014. The trees were planted in 2008 and some trees are now considered “mature trees” (over 4 cm in diameter at 1.3m).  

Thank you to all the “tribes” of Tecumseh P.S. for establishing a Planting for Change plot! All 195 students participated in planting the trees and shrubs in Burlington, ON. [scrollGallery id=68]

On Sept. 23rd, 2014, the students remeasured the trees planted in 2008. The trees are now “mature” trees (> 4 cm in diameter at 1.3 m) and the students used clinometers to calculated the height of their trees. Appleby College’s P4C plot

Thank you to the students at Sir William Gage Middle School in Brampton for installing their Planting for Change plot on Sept. 22nd, 2014! [scrollGallery id=67]

We’ve summarized our tree monitoring procedure into series of videos. Click here to watch them!

On July 30th, 2014, ACER and TRCA mentored the Conservation Youth Corps (CYC) to monitor the young trees planted at TRCA’s corporate site at Drew Road and Bramalea Road. The students measured 10% of the trees and shrubs planted (or 113 plants). [scrollGallery id=66]

Our newest program, TreeCaching, now has its own webpage. You can view trails that currently have tagged trees that you may find. By downloading a QR code reader, you can scan each tree and learn its identity, interesting facts and features! See link here: http://www.acer-acre.ca/treecaching Also, you can view our

Read this article from last year about the importance of measuring your trees! Click on link here.

Thanks to Mr. Fisher’s class for re-measuring the trees in their schoolyard in Markham, ON! The trees and shrubs were planted last spring 2013 and a soil sample was taken of the plot. Soil samples that were collected this spring will be sent in for analysis soon and results will

Thank you to the students at Guido de Bres High School for re-measuring their trees. The trees were planted in 2010 and are growing very well despite the rabbits that are eating them! The shrubs are also doing well at this school (3 shrubs planted around each tree in 2010).

The students at T.L. Kennedy S.S. re-measured their P4C trees which are doing well in the courtyard of their school. Mrs. Shelton’s class took the growth measurements for the trees which were planted in 2011. The trees are mostly healthy and classes sit outside to enjoy their beauty and shade

On May 29th, 2014, ACER went to Ridgewood P.S. to re-measure their P4C trees. Unfortunately, many trees were transplanted and not all survived. The existing trees were re-measured by the enthusiastic students, who were led by Mrs. Mercier, the school librarian. Additional trees were measured and added to a separate

Thank you to all of the Loyalty One employees who came out to Humber Arboretum to pull invasive species and pick up litter. The event was a great success as employees divided themselves into teams to take on different areas of the Humber Arboretum. They pulled garlic mustard and dog

Thanks to the students in Madame Gagne’s class at John Fisher P.S. in Toronto for re-measuring their P4C trees. The trees are heavily mulched for summer. Thank you to Alessandra Tattersall for being such a great help and caretaker of the trees. The P4C plot was planted in 2010 and

We celebrated planting our 30th P4C school at St. Patrick Catholic E.S. in Port Colborne on May 20th, 2014. Thank you to the school for their hard work and for helping us establish this milestone by planting 16 trees and 45 shrubs. The growth measurements were also taken. This is

Thank you to the entire student body at St. John Bosco Catholic E.S. for planting, measuring, and mulching the new Planting for Change plot in their schoolyard. The students worked well and the rain held off so that we could celebrate the birthday of the trees and shrubs with the