Eastern White Pine: Cultural Icon and Herald of our Future

by David Wallace Barr What could be more iconic of northern Ontario for Toronto residents than a hardy Eastern White Pine, clinging to a rocky shoreline, buffeted by the winds, survivor of many storms? From ‘group of seven’ painters to today’s smartphone photographers, this image of the survivor of the gale has captured our imagination Read More

Mature Oak, Monarch Park

Could Toronto Oaks Become Yet Another Endangered Tree?

by David Wallace Barr In recent months we have seen some troubling headlines south of the border. “Oak trees in the Mid-Atlantic region are dying. Here’s why.” – the Washington Post (Nov 25, 2021. “Why White Oak Trees on Route 1 Are Dying” – The Hyattsville Wire (Dec 17, 2019). “Essential tree species facing decline” Read More

Toronto Trees Getting a Head Start

by David Wallace Barr The idea of an urban microclimate is probably not new to most of us. It’s been quite a while since we first heard a city described as a heat island, and it’s undoubtedly as true of Toronto as of any major North American or European city. The whole study of the Read More

The Toronto Field Naturalists wish to acknowledge this land through which we walk. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississauga of the Credit River. Today it is still the home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to be on this land.