Caitlin Ayling, Maple Leaves Forever’s Horticultural Consultant, attended the Forests Canada’s 2025 annual conference in Toronto, Ontario in February. At the conference she was delighted to meet some of the staff of Forests Canada whom we partner on various initiatives such as Envirothon and tree planting.
There was much to take in during the conference, beginning with discussions around forest fires; tracking, prevention and the technological advances that are aiding in those endeavours. A topic that is frighteningly becoming more of a regular occurrence as it seems to get closer and closer to home.
Caitlin enjoyed listening to an interesting conversation about adventures in rural tree planting. Former and current tree planters shared their personal experiences around the culture and how it’s changed over the years (especially for women), as well as how technology continues to aid and improve how the job gets done. There was certainly strong messages of encouragement for new blood to join in and reap the benefits of such a unique life experience.
The conference continued with several heart warming stories about indigenous collaborative projects out west, and close to home, highlighting how communities are being brought together to create more opportunities for land reclamation and reconciliation work.
After several years of zoom meetings, online conferences, and virtual presentations, Caitlin shared that she was very grateful to be gathered again in a room full of forest enthusiasts, saying the energy felt positively hopeful and uplifting. A great start for 2025!
2025 Ontario Envirothon Awards
The annual Maple Leaves Forever Ontario Envirothon Award recognizes exceptional leadership, involvement, and dedication to the Ontario Envirothon program. MLF Marketing Manager Mary attended Forests Canada’s recent awards event during The Forest Conference, to present the 2025 MLF Ontario Envirothon Award to Ron Casier and Guy Smith. Congratulations to you both – and thank you for all you have done for Ontario Envirothon!
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