New trees and tree awareness program for Queen’s Park
William Thorsell, Director & CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Councillor Paula Fletcher, Toronto Parks and Environment Committee Chair (Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth) and ROM staff unveiled today interpretive panels and tree identification signs as part of Trees for Toronto.
Trees for Toronto is a collaborative project between Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the ROM to renew the urban forest in Queen’s Park. The Royal Ontario Museum contributed $100,000 to help plant trees and create interpretive panels and signs identifying the 47 varieties of trees in the park.
The new interpretive signs were created by the ROM and are located in two clusters within the park. One details the natural and cultural history of Queen’s Park while the other focuses on Toronto’s urban forest and the identification of trees through the seasons. Over 90 trees, representing all 47 species in the park, now have identification plaques enabling people to identify the trees and their leaves throughout the year.
“Trees for Toronto has rejuvenated interest in and stewardship of the grand old trees in Queen’s Park.” remarked Deborah Metsger, assistant curator of Botany in the ROM’s Department of Natural History and co-author of The ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario.
Queen’s Park, dubbed “the People’s Park” as far back as 1884, is a green oasis with a mixed canopy that includes large mature red and white oaks, butternuts, Norway maples, lindens and pines. Located steps away from the ROM, the City of Toronto park originally opened in 1860. The trees in the park require ongoing management and a managed succession tree planting program to ensure the continuing health of the urban forest. Through Trees for Toronto, the ROM is helping to renew the tree canopy by planting over 60 trees, as well as maintaining the diversity and succession of the 47 different species and cultivated varieties of trees already growing in the park.
“The City of Toronto is deeply committed to maintaining and expanding the city’s tree canopy and Trees for Toronto will help accomplish that goal by fostering a deeper appreciation of the diversity of trees in Toronto’s urban forest,” said Toronto Parks and Environment Committee Chair Paula Fletcher (Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth).
Further information about Trees for Toronto, including the Natural History of Queen's Park, The Urban Forest, Getting to Know Queen's Park Trees, Cultural History of Queen's Park and Getting to Queen's Park can be found on the ROM's website at www.rom.on.ca/collections/trees