Innovative Project Restores Native Tree Diversity in Toronto

TORONTO - The City of Toronto has partnered with Trees Ontario in an innovative project in gene conservation to plant native trees in their original neighbourhoods. The Tree Seed Diversity project will bring three year-old red and black oak seedlings back to their urban roots in the city's parks and ravines. The new seedlings will be planted this month in eight parks including L'Amoreaux Park, Glen Stewart Park and Kew Gardens in east Toronto.

Grown from native seeds collected four years ago, these local trees are the first key step to restoring the native diversity of trees that have evolved over centuries to be best adapted to growing conditions in the city.

"Ontario's forests are increasingly under threat from climate change as well as the introduction of new insect pests and diseases from around the globe," says Richard Ubbens, Director of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation's Urban Forestry branch. "Urban forests are particularly vulnerable, due to the historic use of commercial landscaping stock from a narrow genetic base of cultivated tree varieties and clones. By giving these seedlings a head start we are working toward bringing our native forests back and slowing the spread of invasive tree species in Toronto's parks and ravines."

In 2005, Brian Swaile, Trees Ontario Seed and Stock Coordinator and certified seed collector, gathered red and black oak acorns in the Beaches Glen Stewart Ravine. The seeds were delivered to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Tree Seed Plant near Angus for processing and then sown by a local native plant nursery. After several years of growth under controlled nursery conditions, the first crop of red and black oak seedlings are ready for planting in Toronto.

"Five years ago, Trees Ontario partnered with the Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation's Urban Forestry branch in an effort to start exploring solutions to the complex problems facing Toronto's urban forests," said Michael Scott, President and CEO, Trees Ontario. "These seedlings are an important first step for the City of Toronto and will hopefully inspire other cities across the province to plan their own local seed acquisition programs to replenish their forests."

Sponsored by Toronto Hydro, this project is being carried out by the City of Toronto and Trees Ontario in collaboration with the Ontario Forest Gene Conservation Association and the Ontario Tree Seed Plant.