Can you guess the two design elements that most shape our sense of connection and belonging? It's simply having a comfortable place to sit and a little shade from a nearby tree.

To understand what makes good shade — and why it even matters — we spoke with several members of the Toronto Shade Policy Committee. The working group was a coalition of people coming together around issues related to cancer prevention and UVR exposure. 

"Look at Paris and other cities in Europe. They have these beautiful trees that line the streets and provide shade for people when they’re going shopping or when they’re sitting at a cafe or in a park," said Sheila Boudreau, Principal at SpruceLab.

The people shaping shade policies weigh in: Read the story →

What do public spaces mean to the people who use them? In Voices in Public Spaces, we ask community members to share how public spaces impact their lives. It’s all about real voices sharing real reflections.

In this episode, we spoke to a whole family during one of their frequent trips to a BMX park near Toronto's Finch Hydro Corridor Recreational Trail. Turns out, the backyard just doesn’t cut it when there’s a whole trail to explore. Watch the video →

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE TREE? I don't mean a favourite type of tree, but an actual individual tree. Maybe this is a strange question, sort of like asking if you have a favourite wall or street sign. Trees don't often come to the foreground of our thoughts unless there’s a problem (a tree branch falls on your car or something).  

When I was a kid, I had a favourite tree. It was an extra tall one in the forest near a family farm where we spent summers. In the mornings I’d throw some snacks, books and binoculars into a bag and run to it, climb and just spend time sitting there reading or imagining. Oddly, thinking about it gives me a wave of nostalgia, almost as though I’m remembering an old friend.  

While that may seem unusual, consider the role that trees have played in the folklore and traditions of communities all around the world. Often associated with wisdom and the interconnection of life, trees have acted as the central gathering spot for both sacred and social rituals. In many Indigenous cultures, trees are deeply intertwined with memory and connection to ancestors. 

It can be humbling to think about all the history and lives that trees bear witness to. Engagements, rites of passage, quiet moments of reflection, storytelling, memorials and every other milestone and event that has taken place under or around them. 

Regrettably, in the history of urbanization, trees are often seen as an obstacle or burden in the way of development — something to destroy, domesticate or relocate rather than work with and around. Maybe this is why so many of us rarely think of trees anymore except as a problem. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are lots of emerging models (drawing on ancient wisdom) in how our built environment can have a healthy relationship with nature.  

Evergreen started as a tree planting organization in a bid to bring nature back into our cities. For over 30 years, we've been inspired by the way trees work together with one another to create a canopy for life to thrive, offering everything from food, shade, rest to even a safe transportation network for non-human living things. That's why we now invest in the power of public spaces. Just like trees, they too are the vital layers that enable city life to flourish. 

🖊️ BEN BARTOSIK, MANAGER OF BRAND AND CREATIVE | EVERGREEN

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Evergreen is a national non-profit transforming public spaces in our cities to build a healthier future for people and our planet.