Kingscourt Leads the Way!

A City in a Forest! If you're reading this post, perhaps you already know that Little Forests Kingston (LFK) is committed to having Kingston, Ontario become a "City in a Forest" but this lofty goal requires a lot of work! While you may know about the little forests already planted; on Highway 15 as part of the Walking the Path of Peace Together project between Faith United Church and an Indigenous Land Council, at Lakeside Community Gardens and the Little Forest on Wolf Island. What you may not know is that we have more little forests in the pipeline with plans for plantings this fall, next year and beyond. We'll share more details on these efforts shortly. However, I mention them as preface for another initiative that we've recently started designed to increase the tree canopy here in Kingston. An initiative we hope to do every six months!

LFK, working with the City of Kingston, Leaf Kingston and two of our Rotary Clubs, was able to get 114 trees planted in 73 houses in Kingscourt. The effort started off with multiple conversations between the organizations listed above on how to expand Kingston's tree canopy. We started by identifying a neighbourhood who's tree canopy level was low (Kingscourt) then LFK went about organizing a volunteer door knocking campaign to alert folks to the opportunity to obtain heavily subsidized trees with the support of folks willing to provide; information, resources and where needed, even help with the actual planting! The successful door knocking campaigned was only possible due to volunteers from the neighbourhood who went door to door engaging in conversations on the importance of trees and to inquire of those who were uninterested, why they might not want to take advantage of this opportunity. For those interested, in learning more about this type of canvassing, check out Deep Canvas.

We came out of this two week effort having knocked on doors in the majority of the neighbourhood and with commitments for 114 trees! We set up a Saturday morning when folks would come get their trees (or in the case of those in need, when the volunteers would deliver the trees) and, in only a few short hours on a lovely Saturday morning, 114 new trees began the next stage of their lives settling into their new homes! We even got a write up about the effort in the WHIG!

Even more, we had over a dozen people indicate interest in becoming Forest Stewards for Kingscourt!! The Forest Stewards will work together to support their Kingscourt Neighbours in increasing the tree canopy for Kingscourt, and maybe even planting some Little Forests within their neighbourhood as well as other activities that will bring folks together to mitigate climate change!! 

For those interested in becoming Forest Stewards within their own neighbourhoods, please emails us and someone will happily help get you started.

May you find time within each day to enjoy the natural beauty that is all around us!

Post written by Josh Cowan who led this initiative.