Leaf Drop Done!

From: Daniel Buckles <dbuckles@sas2.net>

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Neighbours collected and dropped off more than 130 bags of neighbourhood leaves at the community gardens and tiny forest along Pontiac. That is all we need for this season. Anyone can complete the cycle by picking up and reusing the empty leaf bags from the stash in my front driveway (Daniel Avenue).
Continue reading “Leaf Drop Done!” →

Leaf Drop

via Daniel Buckles…

Leaves falling? Turn them into compost for the public gardens by bringing bagged leaves to Pontiac. Leave the bags along the INSIDE/NORTH SIDE of the fence, between Carleton and Northwestern. This is the “tiny forest” area, where leaves are needed. PLEASE, don’t bring garden waste, but ONLY bags with leaves only (maple and oak are best).

Survey about Neighbourhood Tree Bylaws – by October 10

via Heather…

City Forestry is seeking your answer to a one-question survey on a proposal to amend the Tree Protection Bylaw. A resounding “Yes” will help them extend the bylaw’s coverage to the same sized trees in the suburbs, as are already covered in our neighbourhoods. Suburban trees currently have no protection until they are 50 cm in diameter at breast height (DBH), whereas urban trees are covered at 30 cm DBH.
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Tree Poster Exhibit

Update – it was taken down on Friday September 16 and removed from the Tree Fest web site. Blink and you miss it!

Seen yesterday going up on the fence at the north side of Champlain Park – a tree poster exhibit. Possibly something to do with Wednesday September 20th being National Tree Day. Yes, there’s a mention of the exhibit “Photosynthesis III: Pollinators and the Urban Forest” being up for a month on the Tree Fest Ottawa web site. And they’re also doing the tour mentioned in the previous post.

National Tree Day Garden Tour – September 20

via Daniel Buckles:

Join pollinator specialist Jessica Forest and ethnobotanist John Arnason for a tour of the Champlain Park gardens and mini-forests, to celebrate the connections between trees and pollinators in urban settings. 4-6 pm, Wednesday September 20. Location and registration here:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/national-tree-day-celebrating-pollinators-and-the-urban-forest-tickets-717289410937

Paper about Champlain Park Forest Diversity Efforts Published!

Published in Trail & Landscape 57(2) April-June 2023

Community Stewardship and Biodiversity Enhancement of Public Greenspaces

Daniel Buckles^1,2, Catherine Shearer¹, Kris Phillips¹, Adrian Bradley¹, Chieu-Anh Ta³, Braydon Hall³ and John Thor Arnason^1,3*

1. Champlain Park Environment Committee, Kitchissippi, Ottawa ON
2. Sociology and Anthropology Department, Carleton University, Ottawa ON
3. Biology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON
* Corresponding authors: dbuckles@sas2.net, john.arnason@uottawa.ca

Abstract: Plant biodiversity in urban woodlands near the Ottawa River was assessed and found to have low native biodiversity. Community volunteers responded by planting native trees using various techniques (Hügelkultur mounds, Miyawaki or “Tiny Forest” plantations, terracing) and establishing several native pollinator gardens. Biodiversity enhancement included both native Great Lakes and St. Lawrence forest species and Carolinian species, with attention to ethnobotanical and forest food species as well as herbaceous plants supporting native pollinators. The experience suggests that community stewardship of public greenspaces offers an efficient and effective means to achieve meaningful conservation and public education outcomes.

Keywords: Native plants, Carolinian species, biodiversity enhancement, Hügelkultur mounds, medicinal plants, food forest, pollinator garden.

Get the PDF of the whole very well illustrated paper from Community Stewardship and Biodiversity Enhancement of Public Greenspaces.pdf

Tips for Disposing of Branches

From https://ottawa.ca/en/storm-cleanup-april-2023 via Jeff Leiper:

What to do with debris and waste

Debris separation:

Household waste: Place at the curb as part of regular garbage and recycling collection
Organic waste: Spoiled organics can be stored in the freezer then place at the curb for weekly green bin pickup. For those with more urgent need to dispose of food waste, a large bin will be available at the Trail Waste Facility at no charge from Monday, April 10 to Saturday, April 15. Trail Waste Facility hours of operation are below.
Tree cuttings, branches and brush: Place at the curb separate from non-organic, storm-related waste. To allow collection, we encourage branches to be tied with twine in bundles of less than 1.2 m (4 ft.) in length and 60 cm (2 ft.) in width, and that bundles or containers weigh no more than 15 kg (33 lb.). Individual branches should be less than 10 cm (4 in.) in diameter. Larger tree cuttings, branches and brush may be brought to the City’s Trail Waste Facility at no charge until further notice. Otherwise, these may wait, curbside, for chipping or collection by specialized City and contracted crews. There is no need to call 3-1-1 at this time.
Household hazardous waste: Visit the Waste Explorer on ottawa.ca for disposal information

Do not stack or lean: Do not place debris near or on trees, poles or other structures as this makes removal difficult. This includes fire hydrants and meters.

If you don’t have a sidewalk, ditch, or utility line in front of your house, place debris at the edge of your property before the curb.

Trees
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Recycle your Christmas Tree at Champlain Park

Recycle your 🌲 Tree at the Champlain Park Baseball Diamond, anytime in January!!

Give your old Christmas tree a ‘second life’ by donating it to the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail. Trees will be used to create wind breaks and safety barriers/cordons at various locations along the Winter Trail at Remic Rapids. Trees can be brought to the North East corner of the Champlain Park baseball diamond anytime in January, 2023. The Winter Trail team will then make sure they get to where they are needed.

Thank you from the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail Team, and happy skiing!

Tree Seedlings – October 15

via Heather…

FYI. Hi. In case you are interested, there are free trees on offer. As for the other three docs: the CAFES Tree Manual is pretty darn good; Ecology Ottawa’s “How to Plant” is a simple guide for people who don’t already know how to plant trees; and, the Just Food Community Farm map is neat for those interested in taking a look at what’s being done on NCC lands by some Ottawa groups vis a vis sustainable agriculture. It could be an interesting half-day trip for families.
Continue reading “Tree Seedlings – October 15” →

Heritage Oak Legacy Project

As many of you know, a “Champlain Oak” some 170 years old (pre-confederation) was lost on Patricia Avenue following the “derecho” storm in May, 2022. A link to the full story of “The Party Tree” is here: https://www.champlainoaks.net/post/ode-to-the-party-tree.

Some of the wood from the tree was “rescued,” with the help of many neighbours. It has been milled for future projects, once it has dried.

In the meantime, you can have a piece of the legacy in the form of a slab from the milled lumber (picture above). The slabs come in various lengths (2 feet to 6 feet), widths (4-8 inches) and thicknesses (2-4 inches), including bark.

With a minimum of work, they can be converted into a charcuterie cheese board, coat rack, key-holder, or wood feature in your house or yard (oak will last many years outdoors).

All residents of Champlain Park are welcome to pick one up, on a first come, first served basis. Text me at 613-807-8048. A donation would be welcome, and go towards a nursery for replacement with seedlings from remaining Champlain Oaks in the neighbourhood.

Daniel Buckles