As someone who has drawn thousands of tree symbols on landscape plans over a 15-year career in landscape architecture, it is second nature for me to notice every tree I pass as I move through urban landscapes.

What is the surrounding environment? Does the tree have enough soil? Is it exposed to road salt? Has it been hit by a snowplow or damaged by a weed whacker? Was it planted at the right depth? Has a homeowner widened the driveway and removed a chunk of the root system? There are so many things to look for and as I do, I wonder how many of the trees on my plans have survived. Sadly, I know some have died from strangulation, or girdling as it is referred to with trees.

The Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South has launched Nix the Six campaign. Each month we'll focus on one of the six single-use plastic items slated to be banned by the federal government.

On November 25, 2020, a new subgroup of the Enviro Crew of OOS – the Tree/Urban Canopy Subgroup – was formed when 16 motivated and talented residents of Old Ottawa South and beyond met virtually for the first time. Discussion covered the subgroup’s concept and vision, functions and roles, terms of reference and next steps, but the most inspiring part of the meeting was hearing about everyone’s interests and experiences. The diversity of skills, knowledge, and interest represented was very impressive and included: founding and operating charities, journalism and writing, studying impacts of trees on human health, environmental policy and planning, biology, landscape architecture, advocacy, community reforestation, and conducting tree censuses. Our collective passion for trees and forests and the many benefits they provide to individuals and society was very motivating, and there are high hopes for what this group of dedicated tree huggers can achieve together!

A reminder that you don't have to be on Facebook to keep up-to-date with the the Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South. The Enviro Crew has created a monthly newsletter about activities and upcoming events for those who prefer email.

Check out past issues here. 

We are pleased to announce that the Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South is launching a subgroup with a focus on trees, and we are looking for anyone with a love for, or interest in, trees to join us.

Some Alternatives

We love our trees. All summer they absorb sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients from the soil and turn them into new green leaves that shade us on hot days, keep moisture in the air and soil, and harbour a huge number of living organisms.

As the days get shorter and cooler, all those leaves will soon become a liability. They can no longer photosynthesize as the temperature drops, but they still lose water, especially when it’s windy. No problem. Deciduous trees in our part of the world have adapted to winter by sending some of the nutrients from their leaves back down into the roots for storage. That’s why they turn colour, by the way – chlorophyll components break down, revealing the previously masked oranges, yellows, and reds of other chemicals.

The Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South invites you to bring your used plastic bags to a neighbourhood drop-off spot for recycling. Collection points (until October 10th) are 106 Sunnyside Ave, 132 Ossington Ave, 69 Cameron Ave, 90 Aylmer Ave and 143 Aylmer Ave.

The Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South is collecting single-serving take-out containers for Operation Come Home. This is a chance to reuse plastics that are difficult to recycle. Please make sure containers are clean—no food scraps!

The Enviro Crew of Old Ottawa South is growing! In less than 4 months, we have had lots of interest from the community, a few projects on the go, and over 100 members in our Facebook group.

Greg Bulté, an instructor in the Department of Biology at Carleton University, is studying the behaviour and conservation of turtles. He is putting together a project blending citizen science, research, and education centred on urban turtles, and it includes a nest protection program. Our observations will provide valuable background information.