In celebration of National Forest Week Green Venture is making September urban forest month with Communi-TREE! Connect with us this month to learn more about our urban forest, engage in stewardship activities, and grow our canopy! Trees are important to our daily lives from cleaning the air we breathe, to cooling our cities, and helping keep us happy and healthy. Join us this month to learn more!
Each week we will be exploring a different theme around urban forestry. Along the way we will be talking about each checklist task.
The Communi-TREE Checklist
Try out each checklist item over the month of September and be entered to win a $100 credit to the local tree nursery Kayanase to purchase a native tree.
Identity a tree in your neighbourhood
Identifying a tree is a great way to get to know the trees in your neighbourhood. If you’ve never identified a tree before try out the app iNaturalist to get started.
ℹ️ Learn more during our tree education week!
Go for a walk using the 3-300-30 rule
Take a walk in your neighbourhood and observe the 3-30-300 rule:
3 – do you have 3 trees directly around your home or apartment
30 – does your neighbourhood have at least 30% canopy cover, which you can find in the Urban Forest Strategy
300 – are you within 300 metres of a park or green space (5 – 10 min walk)
ℹ️ Learn more during our tree equity week!
Plan out where you would plant a new tree
You have the chance to win a new tree – so find a home for it! Arbor Day Foundation has a great blog to get you started. Check it out!
Go in nature and take a forest bath
Being in nature is therapeutic. Spend some quality time with trees nearby and try a forest bath. It’s simple – go for a hike or walk in nature! Once you feel like you’ve found a relaxing place, close your eyes and start to notice everything around you with your senses. What can you hear, smell and feel! This is a great way to relax and reset. Learn more about forest bathing.
ℹ️ Learn more during our tree benefits week!
Draw or take a photo of our favourite tree
Keep your favourite tree with you all the time with a drawing or photo! This is a great way to be creative and show you care about trees.
Show a tree that you care
Trees do A LOT for us! So let’s show them we care. The City of Hamilton’s Urban Forest Strategy has 10 ways you can help:
- Preserve existing trees on your property wherever possible
- Plant new trees on your property and participate in community tree planting events
- Water young trees during periods of low rainfall
- Have mature trees assessed by qualified arborist
- Protect tree stems and roots from damage during construction and landscaping
- Respect city tree by-laws
- Advocate for better tree protection in Hamilton
- Participate in citizen science
- Spend times with trees – go for a hike in the woods or a walk in a local park
- Talk to your neighbours about why trees are important
Think of other ways to show trees you care!
Find a tree with a nest in it
Trees are homes to many creatures! Find a tree with a feathered or furry visitor. This shows us the importance of trees for local biodiversity!
ℹ️ Learn more during our tree benefits week!
Attend a Green Venture Tree Stewardship Event
We have many tree stewardship events for community members to participate in. Keep an eye out on upcoming events here.
