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 The Old East community is establishing its own tree nursery as part of an effort
to maintain the area's forest cover.
The project, believed to be the first community-operated
tree nursery in London, is one of several efforts aimed at ensuring a green neighbourhood.
The nursery is being established by the Old East Village Community Association on
city-owned land next to a large municipal parking lot just east of Adelaide Street.
"It is a little green oasis beside a swath of concrete parking lot," said project
volunteer Bev Wagar.
 The project goal is to provide residents with free trees "to
help us reforest our part of the Forest City," said Greg Thompson of the Old East
association.
The city came through with a parcel of "orphan" land, a seven-by-20-metre
plot that is ideal for the project, Thompson said.
The city also is providing fencing
and a cistern to support watering. It has put the site on the community garden watering
program.
The Old East association found a resident who recently graduated from the
horticulture program at Fanshawe College who will act as a technical adviser for
the project.
The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority is donating 50 seedlings
for the nursery. The seedlings are planted temporarily in a backyard until they
can be transferred to the nursery.
"This project is another way we can take responsibility
for our own (tree) canopies," Thompson said.
Action is needed, he said, because
"the tree canopy is an important part of the heritage feel of the neighbourhood
and it's shrinking."
The community nursery project is welcomed by Julie Ryan of
ReForest London.
"We would love to see other neighbourhoods do this too, so we'll
be watching to see how it works," Ryan said.
While the nursery takes shape, other
tree-planting projects are underway in Old East.
In addition to projects involving
ReForest London, the Old East Village Community Association and the Old East Business
Improvement Area, the city is providing 50 trees for boulevard planting in the neighbourhood.
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