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We envision a city that is healthier because every citizen cares for the urban forest.

Oak stand in , Beaches Tree Tour. Photographer: Robin Sutherland 1 SlugForeword text - Who we are Slug text is

Growing As an organization that champions This has been an incredible year of growth for LEAF. We have expanded our staff to eight passionate people who are dedicated to urban forest issues. We’ve increased the number of trees and shrubs planted and cared for, as well as the the urban forest our mission is to: number of people we reach through our planting programs, educational workshops, training sessions and tree tours. Our wonderful volunteers have helped us with everything from planting trees to designing this report. Our board of directors has contributed their time and expertise to help with organizational development and sustainability issues. Raise public awareness We’ve expanded existing partnerships and forged many new ones with diverse Foster a sense of ownership groups across and into York Region. LEAF also has a beautiful new home in the Artscape Wychwood Arts Barns. This move brings us not only a new office Engage diverse communities space, but an outdoor area in the surrounding park where we will be designing demonstration plantings in collaboration with area residents. Provide educational tools and resources This report contains just a few highlights of our year. I invite you to visit our website, participate in a tree tour, register for a workshop, consider volunteering Facilitate urban forest stewardship or just drop by one of our monthly LEAFy Drinks gatherings to meet our staff and volunteers. We are excited about the growing community- based urban forest movement and want you to get involved!

The environmental threats faced by our planet continue to grow. But our urban trees offer us a tangible way to make a difference every day, right here at home. Join us in celebrating and caring for these wonderful beings that provide so much and ask for so little in return.

– Janet McKay, Executive Director

Rouge Park Tree Tour. Photographer: Andrew Chiu 2 Photographer: Calvin Kuo 3 LEAF is Growing Growing continued Growth by the numbers

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2008

3575 3235 2007 0 2008 235 1491 2008 1225 70 1280 24 2008 105 ours 570 1300 2007 22 t 2006 2008 s 2007 2008 e e 2008 d 2008 n te 1450 1005 at 76 2007 700 8 2006 21 tour 1000 650 s 500 2006 50 2007 2006 2007 5 5 310 3 00 2006 2006 att tours 2007 endees 11 2007 40 2 2006 es 2006 de 340 atten

People reached People reached People reached Tree Tours held Trees and shrubs through Backyard Members in LEAF’s through community through educational Tree Tenders Volunteer hours and number of planted Tree Planting graduates network events attended with presentations and attendees Program educational displays workshops

4 5 Tree planting Tree Planting continued Growing trees

Ba c k y a r d Tr e e Pl a n t i n g Pr o g r a m

LEAF’s resident arborists have been busy this year, with Thank you to our Funders! hundreds of people welcoming them into their backyards to plant trees and shrubs. An amazing 2350 trees and shrubs were Power Generation Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation planted this year. We also conducted a pilot planting project City of Toronto in Markham with the support of York Region and the Town of Toronto Hydro Corporation Markham. Response from residents was overwhelming, and we look forward to further expansion into York Region in the coming years.

I think this is a terrific This program is “program, particularly in view of “fantastic! I received a great the fact that this is the simplest, least deal of information and insight expensive and most straightforward way about my property, best tree to combat carbon dioxide emissions in an options, and my existing trees... urban area. Best of all I am beautifying my property and helping the -- Mary Ellen,” program participant environment all at a great price! -- Sandy,” program participant

Above: LEAF arborists taking the time to ensure this honey locust and nannyberry are planted properly. Top Right: A good drink after planting will help this silver maple adjust to its new home. Bottom Right: A few years after planting, this red maple is growing strong. Photographers: (Large photo) Calvin Kuo. (Small photos) Matt Smith 6 7 Tree Tour Tree Tour continued Growing enthusiasm Tree Tours held throughout Toronto Map by artist Marlena Zuber To r o n t o Tr e e To u r s 10 Since the official launch of this program in 2007, the tours Thank you to our Funders! have gained incredible public support and interest. Over 20 were conducted this year, many of which reached out to The Ontario Trillium Foundation City of Toronto new Canadian communities. Our Parkdale Tree Tour was Toronto and Region Conservation translated into Tibetan and helped welcome over 25 new Canadians who had recently arrived from Tibet. Our Edible 12 Tree Tour had the highest attendance of over 100 people; the 13 Tour was presented in collaboration with Not Far From the Tree, a grassroots volunteer group that picks fruit for property owners and takes a share for local food banks. [LEAF arborist Local historians, community groups and not-for-profit organiza- “Todd] Irvine offered anecdotes about everything tions helped bring even more local relevance and vibrancy to 2 from trees thriving in neglected 20 the various tours. Thanks to the uniqueness and appeal of parking lots to … some of the this program, LEAF received unprecedented press coverage, impressive centuries-old black with over 40 appearances in newspapers, online blogs, radio 8 7 oaks in the neighbourhood that 16 and television including CBC radio, the National Post, and the once covered the entire region cover of 24Hours. surrounding what is now High 21 19 17 Park. 4 14 -- Peter” J. Thompson, 5 11 15 National Post, September 13, 22 3 2008 1 9 18 6 1. Cabbagetown 6. Col. Sam Smith Park 11. Teesdale 16. 21. Urban Water Cycle 2. Lawrence Park 7. Mount Pleasant 12. Park 17. Junction 22. Parkdale Tibetan 3. Green Roofs 8. Cedarvale Park 13. 18. Beaches Top Left: Education and Outreach Coordinator Todd Irvine points high up to describe a tree’s canopy. Above Left: MPPs Rosario 4. Annex 9. Bain Co-Op 14. Brickworks 19. Edible Tour visit www.treetours.to Marchese and Toby Barrett share a laugh at the Queen’s Park Tree Tour. Above Right: Todd Irvine, with translator Lobsang WangKhang, 8 5. Danforth 10. Rouge Park 15. Queen’s Park 20. Lawrence Park for online Tree Tours reaches out to the Tibetan community at the Parkdale Tree Tour. Photographers, from left: Robin Sutherland, Tegan Smith, Calvin Kuo 9 Tree Tenders Tree Tenders continued Growing knowledge

Tr e e Te n d e r s Vo l u n t e e r Training

Tree Tenders I Thank you to our Funders! Three Tree Tenders Training courses were held this year in Toronto Atmospheric Fund the spring and fall at Toronto’s Riverdale Library. Ninety-nine Canadian Tree Fund actively engaged citizens committed to attending eleven hours Ontario Power Generation of arboriculture training, learning about tree biology, tree and shrub identification, proper planting techniques, tree stresses, and preventative tree care. Many participants, armed with their new knowledge and understanding, have gone on to volunteer Thanks for with LEAF or other organizations, or have started projects of their “allowing me to attend own. your very excellent Tree Tenders workshop. I’m Tree Tenders II extremely impressed by the depth, thought, and This year, we created a follow-up to the first course and offered care that you are putting an additional eleven hours of training to Tree Tender I graduates. into your training. Your There were two streams from which to choose. The first involved participants are very the City of Toronto’s Tree Stewardship program, teaching hands- lucky! in-the-ground stewardship skills. Graduates of this stream will -- Toni” Ellis, Tree Tenders become volunteer stewardship leaders in various ravines across II Instructor the city. The second stream explored citizen engagement in urban forest initiatives. Experienced community activists provided tips and advice about volunteer recruitment and management, It’s so great that advocacy, planning community meetings, and mobilizing citizen “there are people passionate groups to take collective action on urban forest issues. enough to take the time to pass on this fundamental knowledge. -- Tree Tender” I participant Clockwise from Top Left: Arborist Wendy Strickland talks tree identification in ; Tree Tenders learn how to use a tree identification key; Arborist Todd Irvine shows storm damage. Photographers: (Large photo) Liza Badaloo. (Small photos) Andrew Chiu 10 11 Community Outreach Community Outreach continued Growing connections

Co m m u n i t y Ou t r e a c h a n d Vo l u n t e e r s Our Volunteer Community Outreach Assistants attended over 40 community events this summer. Through this amazing effort, we reached over 3500 people with our educational messages about the LEAF has been importance of our urban forest. Volunteers also helped with office “a critical vehicle for work, research, writing, design and promotion, as well as supporting mobilizing people (me included) the Tree Tours as tour assistants, photographers, transcribers and to focus on an extremely translators. LEAF staff delivered educational presentations about important issue. I’m grateful the urban forest to over 1400 people. for this. After four years of volunteering with LEAF, I The Tree Festival was another smashing success this look forward to continuing to year. Cosponsored by LEAF, Councillor Fletcher’s office and Toronto do so! Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the festival took place in early -- Tanya,” LEAF volunteer June and was attended by over 400 people. Native shrub and perennial sales, free compost, live music, local artisans, and youth art-making activities made it a fantastic outing for urban forest lovers of all ages. I enjoyed informing “many others about the LEAF program at the vari- ous shows I volunteered at... Since volunteering for LEAF, I have a greater It’s just an overall good feeling “sense that change, in whatever form, can require a lot of work, doing something to promote tree and that a key is education and empowering individuals. well-being and finding like- minded people. -- Gregg, LEAF volunteer ” -- Steve, LEAF” Volunteer

Clockwise from Top Left: LEAF Executive Director Janet McKay is joined by Councillor Fletcher and MPP Peter Tabuns as she demonstrates proper site preparation technique with a young helper at the Leslieville Tree Festival; crafts at the Leslieville Tree Festival; LEAF booth at the Toronto Hydro Day in Dundas Square; volunteer Nicholette at the LEAF office. Photographers, clockwise from top left: Andrew Chiu, Andrew Chiu, Liza Badaloo, Robin Sutherland 12 13 Financial statement Donors and Contributors

LOCAL ENHANCEMENT AND APPRECIATION OF FORESTS STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT NOVEMBER 30, 2008 Donors 2008 2007 PF Barrett Emily Nixon ASSETS Laura Bowman for Lea Tran Holly Pagnacco Cash $ 30,962 $ 73,638 Simon Chamberlain Bronwyn Rayfield for Wendy Hunter Short‑term investments 150,000 Bronwyn Chester Lorne Rothman for Southcrop Forest Grants receivable 17,393 Prepaid insurance 2,330 2,376 Susan Croft Leah Sandals Total $ 200,685 $ 76,014 Thank you... Shirley A. Duncan for Todd Irvine Jan Schotte LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Toddy Granovsky Jane Weber Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 16,732 $ 6,850 Sarah Lazarovic for the birth of Lila Zahava Glaser JRM Williams Deferred revenue 68,166 12,000 Singer Anonymous for Elizabeth Mark & Stewart Duncan Torry Lowenbach for Todd Irvine 84,898 18,850 Anonymous for Zoe Thorsen-Cavers Chris Macgowan Anonymous for Michael Ormston-Holloway’s MLA Unrestricted net assets 115,787 57,164 Lorraine Manfredo for Dorothea Graduation Total $ 200,685 $ 76,014 Dr. Shahroze A Merali STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND NET ASSETS FOR THE YEAR ENDED NOVEMBER 30, 2008 2008 2007 REVENUE Grants $ 328,423 $ 147,735 In-Kind Contributors Project revenue 138,349 75,534 Alternatives Journal Toni Ellis Lisa McGinn Lora Senechal Carney Donations and fundraising 10,073 8,442 Awards received 10,000 Janet Anderson Terry Fahey Janice Merson Jordan Sewell Councillor Maria Augimeri Diane Fancher Merchants of Green Coffee Sinfonia Toronto 476,845 241,711 MPP Toby Barrett Lisa Fisk Mountain Equipment Co-op Spacing EXPENSES Direct project costs Laura Berman Freeplay Energy Melanie Melanicmily Nixon Wendy Strickland Human resources 256,103 140,687 Black’s Photo Graeme Gibson Paul O’Hara Sultry Suds Other 105,967 43,981 Board Rx Jocelyn Graham Ontario Natural Food Co-op Robin Sutherland IT systems development 19,210 1,337 Laura Brodey Tim Grant Opera Atelier The Phonemes Rent 10,685 6,980 Administration 6,376 2,630 Ian Bruce Andrew Gray Jeff Otto Toronto International Film Festival Board and staff development 5,903 1,290 Pamela Castillo Green$aver Pages Books & Magazines Group Professional fees 5,730 2,355 Andrew Chiu Greentea Design Speaker of the Legislative Toronto Region Conservation Communications 5,406 6,429 Assembly, MPP Steve Peters Urban Tree Salvage Insurance 2,842 2,851 Councillor Raymond Cho Havana Coffee Bar Chocoland Jeff Hill RiverSides Urbane Cyclist 418,222 208,540 Paul Chomik Calvin Kuo Jim Robb Mark Ventresca Gene Domagala Lileo Claire Rodgers Lobsang Wangkhang EXCESS OF REVENUE OVER EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR 58,623 33,171 Nicholette Duncombe MPP Rosario Marchese Luke Sargent Net assets, beginning of year 57,164 23,993 Ella’s Botanicals Iveta May Michael Sargent NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR $ 115,787 $ 57,164 A complete set of audited financial statements is available on request 15 Supporting Partners, Project partners Board and Staff (Inside back cover)

Supporting Partners Staff Canadian TREE Fund Sustainability Network Janet McKay Matt Smith Executive Director ISA Certified Arborist City of Toronto, Toronto Water Toronto Atmospheric Fund Liza Badaloo Robin Sutherland City of Toronto, Urban Forestry Services Toronto Hydro Corporation Volunteer and Event Coordinator Marketing and Communications Coordinator Community Program for Stormwater Management Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation Michelle Bourdeau Claudio Tata Ontario Power Generation Town of Markham Office Coordinator Tree Tour Coordinator/Executive Assistant Todd Irvine Ontario Trillium Foundation York Region Education and Outreach Ryerson University Coordinator Sarah Lamon ISA Certified Arborist Lawrence McKeon Project Partners Seasonal Planting Annex Residents Association Evergreen Phoenix Community Works From left to right: (Back) Liza Badaloo, Todd Irvine, Michelle Bourdeau; (Middle) Robin Matt Smith Lawrence McKeon Foundation Sutherland, Janet McKay, Claudio Tata; (Front) Sarah Lamon Artscape EvolutionGreen Riversides Bain Co-op Residents Friends of the Rouge Watershed Ryerson University Beaches Garden Society Garden Green Scarborough Village Black Creek Conservation Project Green Neighbours 21 Neighbourhood Association Cabbagetown Public Space Greenest City South Rosedale Residents Board of Directors Committee Harbord Village Residents Association Colleen Cirillo, MES W. Andy Kenney, Ph.D., R.P.F. CCFEW (Citzens Concerned Association President , Faculty of Forestry Tibetan Association of Ontario Program Coordinator, Toronto About the Future of Arts Festival and Region Conservation Andrew Millward, Ph.D. Waterfront) Toronto and Region Conservation Ryerson University, Geography LAMP Community Health Centre Stuart Grant Department Centre for City Ecology Toronto Public Space Committee Treasurer Lawrence Park Residents Office Manager, The Centre Madhu Mahadeaven City of Toronto, Natural Toronto Transit Commission IT Consultant Environment and Community Association TWITS (Tuesdays and Steven Joudrey Programs LEGS (Lakeshore Environmental Secretary Olivia Nugent Wednesdays in Toronto) Manager, Clean Air Campaign and Gardening Society) Ecologist, Toronto and Region City of Toronto, Urban Forestry Commute, Pollution Probe Urbanspace Property Group Conservation Lost Rivers City of Toronto, Urban Forestry Philip van Wassenaer, B.Sc., Planner, Ravine Protection The Visible Cities Project, York Chris Chopik Mount Pleasant Group of University Green Realtor, Evolution Green MFC Councillor Paula Fletcher Cemeteries Consulting Arborist, Urban Forest Willowdale Neighbourhood Lorraine Johnson From left to right: (Back) Colleen Cirillo, Philip van Wassenaer, Steven Joudrey; (Front) Innovations Not Far From the Tree Andy Kenney, Chris Chopik, Stuart Grant, Olivia Nugent, Lorraine Johnson Danforth East Community Association Writer (Missing) Andrew Millward, Madhu Mahadeaven Association Oakridges Community Centre – Ecojustice ESL Program Photographers: (Staff group photo) Calvin Kuo, (Board photo) Robin Sutherland 16 Back Cover

Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests

Artscape 601 Christie St., Suite 253 Toronto, Ontario M6G 4C7

(416) 413-9244

www.leaftoronto.org

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