The unique program behind Toronto’s effort to conserve its biodiversity
CBC
When you think about diversity in Toronto, things like its food, neighbourhoods or people probably come to mind. What you might not picture is the team working to maintain a key aspect of the city that impacts everyone: its ecological diversity.
Ray Vendrig is the manager of Urban Forestry with the City of Toronto, as well as the man in charge of the Tree Seed Diversity Program, which looks to protect and cultivate Toronto's green spaces.
“We're trying to collect seeds from species that have grown in this climate and environment, and are used to the insect and disease threats that we find here in Ontario,” said Vendrig. “It’s important because it makes them more resilient to what we're facing in terms of climate change, new pests, and diseases.”
Climate change is impacting the environment across Canada and as CBC previously reported, trees are one of the areas feeling the stress of our shifting climate.
The plant species the program aims to collect have all been in the area since European settlement, according to Vendrig. This includes species like sugar, silver, red maples, as well as various berry plants and shrubs.
Ensuring proper plant diversity in natural spaces is key to maintaining the balance of our local ecosystem, Vendrig said.
"Invasive species ... disturb the balance of the ecosystem. When they take over a site, they displace the birds and they displace the small mammals," he said. "In order to, sustain the entire ecosystem it's very important to to not only remove invasive species, but to replant these areas with native trees and shrubs."
Part of a 10-year partnership with Forests Canada, the goal for the seed diversity program is to build a strong and reliable collection of native plants to bolster restoration across Toronto's green spaces.
Long term partnerships are key for these kinds of projects, according to Mark McDermid, a seed and stock specialist with Forests Canada. According to him, the need for this commitment comes from many factors, including how long seeds take to mature and sample availability from season to season.
“If you look for stock in the fall for the next spring, you're relying on what's in the system already," McDermid said. “A 10-year agreement allows for better planning. We can strategically target certain areas … that we know will be adapted to some of these climate changes in the future."
He said some seeds can take up to four years from collection to be processed into something that can then be planted and grown.
McDermid added Toronto is also unique in that no other city in Ontario has this kind of partnership with Forests Canada. It’s setting a precedent he hopes other cities follow in the future.
“We're always kind of looking for opportunities to work with other municipalities,” McDermid said.
“Now that we're a few years into the program, we obviously have some testimonials about how it works and how it can be successful … for these folks down the road."
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