The Waterfront Regeneration Trust is collaborating with Trees for Life, community and conservation authority partners to restore habitat and tree canopy along the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail. The first two planting sites in the program are the Arsenal Lands in Mississauga and the Biidaasige Park in Toronto.

On April 25 we joined Trees for Life, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and volunteers from corporate supporters to plant 1,000 trees and shrubs at the former Arsenal Lands that surround the historic Small Arms Inspection Building adjacent to Marie Curtis Park, just inside the Mississauga border.

By the time the event started, the cold rain had tapered off into a slightly-less-miscreant chill drizzle. It felt like there were 30 of us in all at the morning tree planting and that the final 20 came strolling in last-minute cavalry-style, a stream of yellow and red coloured ponchos and multi-coloured rain jackets to the rescue.

While I’ve volunteered at tree plantings before, this was by far the most well organized. TRCA did an amazing job sectioning off plots of land for us to work in, spacing out and placing the trees and shrubs where they needed to go—all of it carefully planned using the Miyawaki Forest technique to maximize the number of trees and provide the best chance for the tree’s survival.

We grabbed a shovel and some gloves (both supplied), watched the demo and set off.

With the damp and chill my hands were cold at first, but they quickly warmed up in my work gloves. Mark the spot, dig, loosen roots, plant the goods, backfill the earth, tamp down, gift it a tug. Next. The rhythm is an easy one to fall into. Volunteers worked together, close, chatting and laughing as we did. Small communities within communities, helping to make their community better.

The few hours I was on site passed double-time. We completely planted one section and moved on to the next. By the end, Trust staff were working a corner, planting together, chatting and almost delightfully covered in mud. Mildly stiff, but feeling very rewarded.

Also, the Beaver Tails. Never skip the baked goods. No matter what someone tells you. Even if you end up with a be-mapled chin.

Having worked for the WRT for over a decade, I am proud of the work that we do drawing people to the waterfront to fall back in love with it, to enhance the economy and ecology of the communities the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail touches. I am so glad we were able to support Trees for Life and TRCA as a team on this restoration project and we hope you will too.