TO:North York Community Council

 FROM:Joe Halstead

Interim Functional Lead

Parks and Recreation

 SUBJECT:Environmental Events -Spring 1998

  Purpose:

 Naturalization plantings with the participation of local citizen groups and school children are a well established spring event in North York parks. The purpose of this report is to inform local Councillors about the sites which are proposed for this year=s naturalization plantings in their community.

 Source of Funds:

 Funds to purchase the native plants for these sites have been provided for in approved Capital budgets. These funds will be supplemented by a $5,000.00 grant from a local business, Ikea Furniture, to undertake a naturalization planting with their employees in a park in the vicinity of their store.

 Recommendations:

 It is recommended that:

 (1)this report be received for information.

 Council Reference/Background/History:

 A Naturalization program was adopted by the City of North York on April 2, 1985, by Council Resolution Number 85-14. The objective of the program is to enhance City parks through establishment and\or rehabilitation of small woodland communities, where appropriate, and to allow citizens and North York groups and schools to participate in this program. Since the program's adoption, many park sites ranging in size from a few thousand square feet in a neighbourhood park to acres of land along streams and valley land have been planted in this fashion.

 The following sites are proposed for this spring's naturalization plantings in concert with local community groups and schools. The participation of some of the groups listed (italicized) has yet to be confirmed but has been informally arranged for all of the sites.

PARKDESCRIPTIONDATE & TIMEPARTICIPANTS

BAYVIEW VILL.Shrub border restorationApril 18Local Ratepayers

and naturalization withRain date April 25

native groundcoverTime T.B.D.

 BROOKBANKSSlope naturalization alongApril 21Golden Kiwanis Club

Valley Woods Road 9 - 12 A.M.

 NEWTONBROOKStreambank naturalization April 22 (Earth Day)Ikea Furniture

at section of park running 9 A.M.Employees

east from Willowdale Ave.

 FLEMINGDONSmall slope naturalization April 24Grenoble Public School

project near school9 A.M.

 WINDFIELDSRestoration of site followingApril 28Local Schoolchildren

completion of9 .A.M.

Public Works project

 MAPLE LEAFsloped areas along9 A.M.Nelson Boylen C.I.

drainage swales

 NORTHnear CNR tracks andMay 2Brownsea Area

parking lot at Rustic Rd.9 A.M. - 12Scouting Groups and The Black Creek Project

(100 youth, 35 adults)

 Environmental protection and restoration remain high on the list of people's priorities, and interest in the naturalization program also remains high. Each year, staff receive requests from schools, community groups and individual residents who wish to participate. These plantings will confer environmental benefits and provide an opportunity for citizens and schoolchildren to participate in the greening of our community.

  Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

 Naturalization of portions of City parkland provides some important benefits to city residents. An economic benefit is that the costly maintenance of steep slopes, which are not suitable for active recreation and which can be hazardous to cut with large grass cutting equipment, can be reduced or nearly eliminated by "letting nature take over". This can allow for these costs to be reassigned to provide a better level of maintenance to intensively used park areas such as sportsfields and playgrounds.

 A recreational benefit is gained in that the diversity of plants and animals in natural areas provide an array of textures, shapes, colours, sounds and fragrances to stimulate the senses. They are places of adventure and discovery for children, and provide a pleasing environment for seniors and adults to observe nature, walk, jog and bicycle.

  Perhaps most important are the environmental benefits which result from naturalization, including:

 -Reductions in water runoff into streams and storm sewers, and consequent reductions in erosion and sediment

-Reductions in fertilizer use and inflow of nutrients into streams

-Reductions in pollution (trees filter pollutants) Improved air quality (trees are the "lungs" of the city)

Improved habitat for birds and urban wildlife

 Two task forces, including staff and citizen representatives from the City of North York and coordinated by the Metropolitan Toronto Region Conservation Authority, have prepared a comprehensive set of strategies to regenerate the rivers and streams of the Humber and Don River Watersheds. The task forces recommended naturalization plantings as effective, small scale, local projects which taken together across the entire area of the watersheds will contribute to improvements in the quality of their environments.

 The sites targeted for this year's Arbor Season plantings have been selected for their suitability and effectiveness in realizing the above benefits. All of the sites are adjacent to streams or are slopes which are unsuitable for other uses and wasteful of resources to maintain intensively.

 Conclusions:

 Naturalization of parkland is valuable approach to park development, redevelopment and management. As well as the economic, recreational and environmental benefits provided by established naturalized areas, participation in planting of these sites offers communities an enjoyable opportunity to contribute to their environment.

  Contact Name:

 Robert Crump

Supervisor of Urban Forestry and Environmental Services

Telephone395-7991

Fax395-7937

E-mailbcrump@city.north-york.on.ca.

    Joe Halstead

Interim Functional Lead

Parks and Recreation