READ: “How Cities, Scientists & Nurseries Are Partnering To Help Seedlings Grow Into Urban Forests” (The Globe And Mail)
By Kevin Cavanagh:
A new alliance of industry, scientific, non-profit and government partners is collaborating to increase the success of urban tree planting, as high mortality rates remain a challenge for the perennial plant that is key to tackling climate change.
The goal of Greening the Landscape Research Consortium is to help seedlings survive to become giants, and its advantage is information-sharing along the “urban tree value chain” – from nursery staff tending seeds, to planting contractors, to municipal foresters nurturing the trees. The consortium was launched in Ontario’s Niagara region in 2021 by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, or VRIC, a not-for-profit institution focused on improving the sustainability and competitiveness of Canadian horticulture.