If you are a student in an Event Planning or similar program, between the ages of 18-30, who loves trees and the environment; and would like to assist in planning for the 3rd Annual Long Branch Tree Fest we would like to hear from you!
As the Events Coordinator, you will be assisting the LBNA (Long Branch Neighbourhood Association) and the Tree Fest Committee to plan, promote and organize the 3rd Annual Long Branch Tree Fest. This will involve developing a promotional plan; writing and distributing press releases; engaging local small businesses, musicians and artists; creating and distributing posters and flyers to local small businesses and within the community; promoting the event on social media; communications and organization with local exhibitors and vendors; coordination of educational events relating to urban trees and the environment; coordination and promotion of children’s activities and other activities as required to ensure a successful Tree Fest, which may be virtual or outdoors, depending on the COVID-19 situation
You will work with subject matter experts knowledgeable about the Long Branch trees, the environment and urban forestry.
In addition to preparing for Tree Fest, you will assist in planning for a series of local Community Stewardship Tree Interpretation walks and bike rides and the launch of our new TreeTrek app for self guided tree interpretive walks and rides throughout Long Branch and our local parks.
The Events Coordinator position is funded through a Canada Summer Jobs Federal Student grant program to the community. The LBNA encourages students in event planning, public relations or related communications programs to apply, including applicants who are women, indigenous students; members of a visible minority and new immigrants/refugees. University and college students are all encouraged to apply.
Interviews will be taking place shortly. Position start date will be in June.
If you are passionate about community events, environmental stewardship and conserving and expanding urban forests, please email your resume and cover letter with why you are interested in this position as soon as possible to Judy Gibson, Chair, Tree Canopy Preservation and Enhancement Committee, Long Branch Neighbourhood Association via email: longbranchnato@gmail.com
Note: The LBNA is required and committed to ensuring a safe, workplace experience for all employees. Employees will be required to follow the in force COVID-19 social distancing, personal and equipment safety and sanitizing procedures at all times.
https://lbna.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019-Tree-Fest-Exhibitors.jpg160240Judy Gibson/wp-content/uploads/LBNA_Logo_2in.svgJudy Gibson2021-05-06 13:53:472021-06-24 23:50:27Job Posting: Special Events Coordinator: Long Branch Tree Fest 2021
If you are a student, between the ages of 18 – 30 years old who loves trees; would like to work outdoors in Long Branch this summer and are going back to school in the fall we would like to hear from you!
You will be assisting the LBNA (Long Branch Neighbourhood Association) in developing an inventory of the trees in Long Branch, and educating the community on the benefits of preserving and growing our Urban Tree Canopy. This neighbourhood was an exclusive cottage community in the late 1800’s featuring densely treed lots. Many of these trees survive today. This project will include identifying Heritage Tree nominees to join the first three which are now officially recognized by Forests Ontario in Long Branch; assisting with the Long Branch Remembers program to plant trees for our Veterans in Long Branch and assisting in Tree Stewardship educational materials and initiatives about the benefits of our Urban tree canopy, native trees and biodiversity.
What You’ll Be Doing
As a member of a 4-person crew, you will spend the summer outdoors to accurately record the Long Branch urban forest inventory, including species and tree health data on public & private land using digital recording and mapping software. You will also identify strategic areas to plant new trees. You will assist in analyzing the tree inventory data collected and prepare reports on the findings. Training and technical support / mentoring will be provided through community partnership with the Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto.
Who Should Apply
This project is funded through a Canada Summer Jobs Federal Student grant program to the community. The LBNA encourages students in (or going into) forestry-related or arboriculture programs or environmental sciences or other related programs to apply, including applicants who are women, indigenous students; members of a visible minority and new immigrants/refugees. University, college and graduating high school students are all encouraged to apply.
Apply Now
Interviews will be taking place shortly. Position start date will be May 31, 2021.
If you are passionate about conserving and expanding urban forests, please email your resume and cover letter with why you are interested in one of these positions as soon as possible to Judy Gibson, Chair, Tree Canopy Preservation and Enhancement Committee, Long Branch Neighbourhood Association via email: longbranchnato@gmail.com
Note: The LBNA is required and committed to ensuring a safe, workplace experience for all employees. Employees will be required to follow the in-force COVID-19 social distancing, personal and equipment safety and sanitizing procedures at all times.
My neighbour’s property was vandalized on a sunny mid-March day this year. It was bold and in broad daylight, with the rest of the street watching in disbelief.
Many months ago – the new owner of the property next door was refused permission to build an oversized house on a 50 foot lot frontage by the Committee of Adjustment (COA). The proposed house was too big for the neighbourhood, but the bigger problem was the requested new foot print would endanger 3 protected trees on neighbouring properties – two 100-year-old beautiful Silver Maples and a younger but healthy Siberian Elm. In Long Branch, these are significant trees and they were there when the property was purchased. It should have been no surprise that a smaller home to accommodate the trees would have to be built and the trees on the surrounding properties protected.
Neighbours were excited to hear that rather than appeal the decision, the owner was going to build to the bylaws. This should be a happy ending to this story.
Not so.
Then came demolition day,
March 15, 2021 – Day 1
The house was coming down without tree protection for any of the trees. What was in place was flimsy snow fence establishing the illusion of tree protection for the neighbours to see. Fortunately, we long haulers know the difference. Neighbours were all quick to call 311, and were assured that Forestry would be attending the site — within 3-7 days.
March 16, 2021 – Day 2
Demolition continued – no forestry in sight. The 311 calls continued.
March 17, 2021- Day 3
Digging begins on March 17, 2021
On the third day the digging with the backhoe started, and that is when the neighbours and the owner of the trees next door lost it. We all watched in horror as the backhoe came closer and closer to the base of his prized Silver Maple taking roots and soil with it. Emails and text messages were sent out to the surrounding neighbourhood for residents to make some noise. “Call 311, there is illegal digging in protected tree zones happening right now. Take pictures if you can see it, and email and call the Councillor too.”
3 hours later, Forestry attended. But not before a yelling match occurred on the street between neighbours and the builder. A stop work order was finally issued by the City, but the damage was done. To what extent is unknown and may not be fully evident for years.
Gaps in the Process
Through all our phone calls we discovered the City had issued a building permit but no tree injury permits were in place. As a result, no Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) had been defined to protect trees on the subject property or adjoining properties. This is the problem with as-of-right building, everything becomes much less transparent than if the builder had asked for variances. The builder is expected to apply for a tree permit, yet there is nothing in place that we are aware of compelling them to do so.
Work crews putting in Tree Protection Zone barriers on March 24, 2021 – 6 days after demolition was completed.
The responsibility shifts to the neighbours to monitor the build and call to complain. But with a 3-to-7 day City response time, no action can occur in time to prevent irreversible damage to trees that are legally protected under the City’s By-laws.
We are sharing this story with you to illustrate the general rules about building around trees and hopefully save a few trees along the way.
According to the City of Toronto Tree Protection Policy and Specifications for Construction Near Trees – most protected private trees require a MINIMUM tree protection zone of 2.4 m. But in Long Branch, some of our larger trees are required by law to have much, much more. This zone generally stays clear at all times of equipment or digging. Orange snow fence is not tree protection. The Tree Protection Policy is a pretty straightforward and is pretty clear on what needs to be in place for Tree Protection in the City of Toronto.
Every Private tree that is 30cm in diameter or more – is protected. (that is 94.25 cm circumference at chest height) regardless of species or roughly the size of a telephone pole. It is illegal to injure or remove a healthy tree of this size or larger without a permit. All City Trees are protected regardless of size.
How You Can Protect Long Branch Trees
If you see an infraction, you need to initiate a call to 311 and be VERY specific. Tell them it is an emergency. Provide the address, where the tree is, how big it is and the species if you know it. Take photos if you can. Email and call the Councillor’s office as well. I have called in these types of infractions before and the City has arrived in a little as 45 minutes, but in this case, it was three days. So be persistent. Remember, in calling it in, you are not doing anything wrong. The tree canopy belongs to all of us.
Injury or destruction of a protected tree is a Provincial offence and the City has the power to issue fines. In my honest opinion the fines are not enough. But there is also the cost of a stop work order, lost of workdays and remediation of the damage. Finally, there is also the hassle of the neighbourhood scrutiny as you are coming to your jobsite every day.
The Value of Trees
Well landscaped real estate and mature trees can increase land value from 12 to 20%. So that is why I say my neighbour’s property was vandalized this week. Not only is our Long Branch tree canopy beautiful, it is an asset that increases land value. If you calculate using the low end of value of real estate in Long Branch, one of these trees is worth $100,000 and irreplaceable in realistic terms. My neighbour is also on the hook for the emergency visit from his arborist, remediation from his side of property and potentially removal of the tree down the road if it does not survive. It is similar to someone taking a sledgehammer to your Porsche while it is parked in your driveway. After the damage is done, you still own it, it may still work but it’s not the same prized vehicle, and the long-term damage may not be known for awhile.
In closing, I am pretty proud of my neighbours, they were fearless and quick to do what they could to help. None of them are against building a new home, just respect those trees that are here while doing so. This was evident when a different builder renovated and topped up another home on the street a couple of years ago. He removed no protected trees and no objections were filed by the neighbours. The house went up with no delays and now a lovely family has moved in and made it a home.
Next time you are passing by Micheline-Saint-Cyr elementary school on Forty First Street in Long Branch, take a look at the newly-planted trees and shrubs beautifying the school grounds for students, staff and the Long Branch neighbourhood!
With a Greening Canada School Grounds Grant from Tree Canada —the only national non-profit organization dedicated to planting and nurturing trees in rural and urban environments — and assistance from Staples Business Advantage, the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association (LBNA) partnered with Ecole Micheline-Saint-Cyr to plant a host of native trees and shrubs.
On a cool but sunny Saturday in late November, Bob Baker and his crew from Baker Forestry Services, Nursery and Consulting planted over a dozen native trees on school grounds: 2 Swamp White Oaks; 3 White Birches; 1 Sugar Maple, and 7 Serviceberries. Two clumps of three Red Stem Dogwood shrubs each were also planted, to frame the large school sign on the front lawn facing onto Forty First Street
Planting more trees in Long Branch is always cause to celebrate, given our ever-shrinking tree canopy. Long Branch’s shrinking tree canopy is a constant concern of the LBNA, but as Judy Gibson, Vice-Chair of the LBNA and Chair of its Tree Canopy Preservation and Enhancement Committee states, “Long Branch will be a little greener in the spring thanks to this initiative!”
Written by: Robbi Jordan, Member, LBNA Tree Canopy Preservation and Enhancement Committee
The Long Branch Neighbourhood Association has been very active in programs to preserve and re-build the tree canopy in Long Branch.
These programs have included Tree for Me – distribution of free native Canadian trees for residents to plant at home. Another is Long Branch Remembers – again distributing native species to commemorate veterans connected to Long Branch.
Our latest program is structured around Tree Stewardship.
What better way to celebrate Canada Day than a guided walk to learn about trees (physical distancing requirements will all be met so the walk is enjoyable and safe for all) or an on-line workshop to learn how to care for your young trees so they grow to become gentle giants (or healthy mid-size trees).
Registration is now open for the first programs in our new series. It is free thanks to a grant to the Long Branch Neighbourhood Association (LBNA) from the City of Toronto.
/wp-content/uploads/LBNA_Logo_2in.svg00Ronald Jamieson/wp-content/uploads/LBNA_Logo_2in.svgRonald Jamieson2020-07-02 11:47:542020-11-02 11:41:27LBNA Launches New Tree Stewardship Programs!
