Many of Toronto’s trees are older than the city itself. So why aren’t we doing more to protect them?

Megan Ogilvie

2018-10-14

The Star

Keywords: Mona Lisa trees, Tree preservation, Urban conservation, Climate change, Development pressures

Despite their ecological and historical significance, there is currently no overarching plan to protect — or even to catalogue —Toronto’s very large, old trees.

“These trees are the oldest, largest living things in Toronto. We should be protecting them with the same kind of passion that we give to great works of art,” says Eric Davies, a U of T researcher who is mapping Toronto’s oldest and biggest trees in our city’s ravines

This article from The Star discusses the efforts to save Toronto's "Mona Lisa trees"—a term used to describe the city's most iconic and beloved trees. It highlights the challenges these trees face, including disease, development pressures, and climate change. The piece focuses on the importance of preserving these trees not only for their ecological value but also for their historical and cultural significance. It calls for a collaborative approach involving city officials, residents, and conservationists to ensure the survival of these urban landmarks.

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Tags: urban landscape, city trees, development pressure