Category: Environment

🌳 Cracks in a Linden Tree 🌲

From Daniel Buckles and Heather Pearl…

There is a crack, a crack in everything;
That’s how the light gets in.
(Leonard Cohen, Anthem)

Frigid temperatures. A “forever” Pandemic. Sometimes it’s hard to see the light. But it’s there. Days are getting longer. Spring is creeping closer. And sooner than we think, it will be time to plant trees.

The other day a neighbour asked us to look at a large European Linden tree in his yard. A deep, wide crack, the length of its trunk, had opened. Ever the opportunist, a squirrel now occupied the spot where the crack opens at the meeting of three main branches.

[Picture of a bulky Linden Tree trunk with a crack going all the way up]

The tree may need to come down, if it presents a hazard to people or property. Its much-loved summer shade will be missed, but with the light, will come the chance to plant two or three new trees. Native species would be best, less susceptible than European Lindens to the extremes of our local climate and better suited to offer food and habitat for native birds, mammals and insects.

The Champlain Park Community Association has the Trees in Champlain Park program to help: https://champlainpark.org/ticp/ticp-home/

Trees provide shade and interest, to our homes and to our streets. If you have a tree in your yard that is nearing its end of life, we can help you plan for and find a “succession tree” that can establish itself before the older tree needs to be removed.  If you have an open space, whether it’s small, or under hydro lines, or more roomy, we can suggest the right tree species for your space. For more information contact Daniel Buckles (dbuckles@sas2.net) and Heather Pearl (hptek20@teksavvy.com).

Electronic Waste Collection at Van Lang Field House – January 22, 29

From our city councillor Jeff Leiper’s January 15 2022 newsletter:

Westboro/Westboro Beach electronics waste drop-off

Thanks to Charlotte at Nepean High School who has organized a waste electronics drop-off as part of her environmental science class. The drop-offs will be at the Van Lang field house (29 Van Lang – next to 303 Churchill N.) on January 22 from 1-4 and on January 29 from 11-1:30. They’ll be collecting items such as flash drives, phones, MP3 players, laptops, mic, speakers, DVD players and more. Write to ewastedropoff22@gmail.com with your questions and follow @electronicwastewestboro on Instagram for updates. See the full poster here.

[eWaste Poster - mostly text]

Greening the Neighbourhood Podcast

Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2022 18:00:42 -0500
From: DANIEL BUCKLES <dbuckles@sas2.net>

Greening the Neighbourhood

David Paré of Ottawa South has produced a delightful podcast series on “Decarbonizing Ottawa,” that highlights the actions people in our city are taking to do their part to overcome the climate crisis: https://anchor.fm/david-pare

A recent episode (Greening the Neighbourhood) features Champlain Park, starting with the de-paving of a section of Pontiac Avenue and continuing with our wonderful pollinator garden and “tiny forests.” Have listen to this, or other podcats on topics ranging from the National Healing Forests Initiative to Going Electric (pros and cons).

Kichi Sibi Winter Trail – Christmas Tree Reuse

The Kichi Sibi Winter Trail @KichiSibiWT are now collecting unwanted xmas trees for reuse as a wind blocks along the winter trail. Please leave your cleaned Xmas tree of tinsel and anything else at the Remic Rapids Outhouse adjacent to the Remic Rapids parking lot, we only need the tree. At the end of the season these reused xmas trees will be chipped and recycled as mulch.

Many thanks
Kichi Sibi Winter Trail + Champlain ParkTrailhead’s

[Remic Rapids outhouse and Christmas Trees lined up on fence]

Greener Greenspace Award

via Daniel…

Champlain Park has been recognized by The Society for Organic Urban Land Care (SOUL) as a 2021 Greener Greenspace award winner. The evaluation committee “particularly appreciated that your project makes the most out of the opportunity to turn a paved street into regenerative gardens and model forests that not only benefit local wildlife and the urban forest but provide opportunities to engage the public.”

Yahoo! And thanks to the volunteers that made it happen (Daniel Buckles, Kris Philipps, Catherine Shearer, John Arnason, Adrian Bradley, Joscelyn Coolihan), and to the Champlain Park Community Association for moral and financial support.

[Greener Greenspace round logo]

[Rectangular Certificate]
Greener Greenspace Champlain Park Certificate of Recognition 2021.pdf

🌳 Trees in Champlain Park 🌲

What street in Champlain Park had the coolest temperatures on July 18, 2019? How much money do three blocks of trees in Champlain Park save the residents?

Find answers to these and other interesting questions, and find support to help you plant a tree on your property or in a public space, by visiting the new Trees in Champlain Park pages on the Association website: https://champlainpark.org/ticp/ticp-home/

[Trees in Champlain Park Screen Shot]

Just in time for the holidays: a gift that gives, as it grows! Enter the CPCA tree giveaway contest. Sign up to get a free tree from the City.

This is a project of the Champlain Park Community Association, in partnership with the CAFES neighbourhood tree canopy network.

Apple Tree Movers Wanted – October 28

On Apples, Pick-up Trucks and Food Security

The Community Forest project needs a pick-up truck or vehicle with a trailer to collect a MacIntosh apple tree from the Just Food Farm in Blackburn Hamlet (near Orleans) and bring it to the neighbourhood. Thursday afternoon (October 28) or Friday during the day would be ideal. If you have access to truck or trailer, please contact Daniel Buckles (613-807-8048).

The apple will be the last planting of the season in the new terraces at Champlain Park, along with two American Hazelnuts (a native shrub with showy flowers and edible nuts). Our Community Forest will not only showcase a native “Tiny Forest” east along Pontiac, a “Native Pollinator Garden” at the entrance to the river, and a glimpse at “futures forests” in our warming world, but also options for “Food Forests” in urban environments.

“Where will our food come from?” is a question posed in the context of Ottawa’s new Official Plan in an opinion piece by a neighbour you might find of interest here.

Update from the “Pit Crew” of Champlain Park.

[A bowl full of apples]

Encore! Biodiversity Celebration Continues – October 6

Encore! Biodiversity Celebration Continues Wednesday, October 6, 4:00 to 5:00 pm.

Eastern Bumblebee on Cosmos Sulphureus (Golden Cosmos), by Grace Nault, a young resident of Champlain Park.

Some 15 hardy souls braved the cool wet weather on Saturday to plant more than 40 trees into our latest “Tiny Forest”, including a collection of “Carolinian Forest” species to complement our “Native Pollinator Garden”.

See details on each through the links above, and tour the site with local experts on Wednesday, October 6 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Location? The north end of Champlain Park, at Pontiac and Cowley Avenue in Kitchissippi Ward, Ottawa. Plant acorns from our Heritage Bur Oaks and share ideas on how to start your own neighbourhood biodiversity and tree canopy projects.
Continue reading “Encore! Biodiversity Celebration Continues – October 6” →

Celebrate Neighbourhood Biodiversity – October 2

[Biodiversity Poster featuring a closeup of a red butterfly]
20211002 Biodiversity Celebration.pdf

COVID-19 Rules: Distance and Masks

When: 3:00-5:00 PM on Saturday, October 2, 2021 (rain date Monday, October 4)

Where: Outside, at the north end of Champlain Park (Pontiac Street and Carleton Avenue) in Kitchissippi

What:

Visit the newly planted “Tiny Forest” along Pontiac Avenue (120 trees of 20 different species) and extensive pollinator garden. Contribute to planting a new “Tiny Forest” (bring a pair of gloves, spade and a watering can)

Learn and plan what you can do to contribute to neighbourhood biodiversity.

Agenda:

  • 3:00 PM Overview
  • 3:15 Walking tours of East Tiny Forest and Pollinator Garden
  • 3:45 Walking tours of Hügelkultur tree planting sites
  • 4:15 Tree planting in new West Tiny Forest
  • 3:00 onwards, unstaffed Information table

Convened by the Champlain Park Community Association. Thanks to Councillor Leiper and his office for their support for this event.