ACER is pleased to announce the completion of our collaboration with the Brampton Environmental Alliance and their 2023-2024 Rooted in Hope initiative! ACER’s role in this initiative was leading training on tree monitoring and training on environmental outreach and educational leadership. The tree monitoring training included how to use tree measurement equipment, identify tree species, check for possible tree health issues, evaluate management practices and create reports to inform the City of Brampton on its Urban Forest Plan. The environmental outreach and educational leadership training imparted the knowledge and skills needed to empower the students to train others, and be able to implement environmental stewardship events in their schools and communities on their own. Event participants were diverse and intergenerational, comprising approximately one-third seniors and two-thirds secondary school students.
In all, three training sessions were held as part of this collaboration, with the final event held on April 21st at Gore Meadows Community Centre. This session also included a demonstration, by a local advanced drone pilot, of video-capable drone usage for site monitoring and tree inventory/mapping, technology that was originally piloted by ACER, in collaboration with Sustainable Cobourg, as part of our 2022-2023 Riparian Rangers Ganaraska initiative. ACER continues to actively explore drone technology for its potential uses in future ACER initiatives.
ACER was also able to collect data on 60 trees as a result of the tree monitoring training, data that can be used to assist in developing effective strategies for the restoration, protection and growth of their trees and green spaces. More about the BEA’s Rooted in Hope Program can be found in the BEA’s latest RIH news article here which also includes a link to the video captured during the drone demo at Gore Meadows CC. ACER thanks the BEA for this opportunity and hopes to be able to collaborate with them again in the future!
