- Hello, everyone.
My name is Stephanie.
And I am from Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
Today, I'm going to talk to you about the importance
of canopy cover here in the city of Toronto
and ways that you can support Toronto's canopy
by planting a tree or shrub.
Trees and shrubs are important for many things.
They provide habitat for wildlife,
including food, shelter, and nesting spaces.
Clean our air, the water.
Create shade.
Reduce urban heat island effects.
Capture or sequester carbon to reduce greenhouse gases
in our atmosphere that impact climate change.
Reduce runoff from rain and snow by soaking up water.
And studies have even been able to show that trees
can help improve mental health for humans and reduce stress.
When we look to restore our natural spaces,
it's important that we try and mimic or mirror plants
that would naturally occur in these spaces.
We call these native plants.
Native plants occur naturally within an area,
either by evolving here or arriving here
and becoming established without human assistance.
In many cases, these plants have been here
for thousands of years and have co-evolved
with other wildlife, fungi, microbes, and other plants.
A few examples of native shrubs include nannyberry,
flowering raspberry, fragrant sumac, peach leaf willow,
bush honeysuckle, and red osier dogwood.
Toronto is considered a city within a park,
and it's no wonder, considering the incredible ravines
and green spaces the city holds.
Toronto has recognized the importance
of tree and shrub canopy cover within our city
and plans to increase our canopy cover to 40% by 2050.
Studies have shown that between 2008 and 2018,
Toronto has increased its canopy to over 11.5 million trees,
covering about 28 to 31% of the city,
where it only covered about 26 to 28% before.
We are well on our way to meeting this goal.
But there's still a lot of work to do.
And you can help by planting your own tree or shrub
on private property.
Make sure you have your tools ready to go.
To plant a tree or shrub,
you'll need a shovel,
garden gloves,
and shoes with closed toes.
Make sure that before you dig,
your shrub has been placed in a good spot.
You'll want it at least 10 feet away from an existing tree
and at least three feet away from another shrub.
If you're planting at home, you'll also want to make sure
there are no wires or pipes in the ground
where you're planting.
A quick call to Ontario One Call can help you determine
where all of your utilities and pipes are located.
Your first task will be to dig a hole
about the same diameter as the pot.
Place your shovel so that the spade
is close to a 90 degree angle from the ground.
With one foot firmly planted behind you, use your other foot
to firmly push the shovel into the ground.
This angle will help you dig much more easily.
When removing the earth, make sure to keep it close.
You'll need this again later.
You can use your shovel to help break up any large clumps.
Your hole should be deep enough
for you to place your pot into the hole
and the soil level in the pot
should be level to the ground.
Use the Goldilocks rule to help,
not too deep, not too shallow, just right.
All of the roots need to be underground.
But dig too deep and you might bury the root collar,
where the base of the tree trunk and the stem
meets its roots.
This'll hurt the plant.
If the hole is too deep,
add more soil to the bottom of the hole.
If you don't dig deep enough,
exposed roots outside the soil can also hurt the plants.
Again, we're looking for the soil level in the pot
to match the same level as the ground.
Once you're ready, gently roll the pot on the ground
or on your leg to loosen the roots from the pot.
Pull the plant out gently, holding it from its base.
Gently brush your fingers across the roots to loosen them up
and let them know that they can grow outwards.
Put the plant into the hole and begin to return the soil
around the edges in layers.
You want to pack the soil around the roots
so that there aren't any large air pockets.
Air pockets can hold and freeze water
during the winter months,
compressing against the plant and root system.
So we want to make sure those spaces are filled with soil.
Keep adding soil back until your plant
is firmly planted in the ground.
Gently pack the soil around the plant
by stepping around the base.
Once your tree or shrub is planted,
you're ready to add your volcano of mulch.
Create a volcano or donut shape around the tree or shrub,
making sure that the mulch does not bury the root collar.
Now your tree or shrub is ready to grow on its own.
By now you should be ready to head out
and help Toronto's canopy cover.
So I hope to see you soon
at a public planting event near you.
(upbeat music)