Join the Friends of Trinity Belllwoods Park (FoTBP) volunteer Adopt-A-Tree (AAT) program and help keep the park’s newly planted trees alive through their precarious first four years when their root systems are still shallow.
It’s easy – sign up for a specific young tree and from spring to fall make sure it gets 5 gallons (20L) of water each week. It’s a terrific thing to do with kids, while walking the dog, on your regular park walk, or after a drum circle. There are taps in the park and FoTBP provides bundle buggies and plastic jugs to carry the water to your tree. The Memorial trees are not part of the Adopt-A-Tree program.
Our current AAT coordinator is Courtney Brennan. Email friends@trinitybellwoods.ca or get in touch via our contact page, subject line ‘Adopt-a-Tree’ to become a Tree Guardian today!
The Tree Tour
Download a free tour guide of the many trees in the park.
About Adopting a Tree
New trees are planted every year.
We are always looking for new Tree Guardians!
Guardians can adopt for a season or two,
or for their tree’s full first four years.
You can also adopt multiple trees if you’d like!
Our wagon readily holds enough water for 3 trees.
What’s Involved:
- Give your tree 5 gallons (20L) of water every week from May to October
- Weed around the tree’s base to avoid competition for the water
- Spring or Fall mulching (with help from The City)
Adopt-A-Tree Background
The Trinity Bellwoods Park’s tree canopy is a big part of its appeal and majesty. The FoTBP Adopt-A-Tree program was established in 2006 by Friend of the park, Jenna Hofbauer when she and other park neighbours realized city staff were often stretched too thin to maintain sufficient watering in the young trees’ first years. It takes three to five years for the saplings to develop deep enough root systems to survive a lack of rainfall. Since many of us are in the park regularly it was an easy decision to “adopt” a tree and water it regularly to help ensure the survival of new trees and the continuous renewal of the magnificent tree canopy.
Since then our Adopt-A-Tree program has had many coordinators at the helm. Jenna Hofbauer (2006-2008), Michaelle McLean (2009-2014), Laura Jamer (2014-2016), Katherine (2016-2020), and now Courtney Brennan (2022-present).
Did you know? The FoTBP’s AAT program – the first in Toronto – was the inspiration for Park People and LEAF’s Adopt A Park Tree program! FoTBP was happy to share the experience and expertise for their brochure. Both these organizations are fantastic resources.
Like a well-watered tree, good ideas grow!
Tree Reports
Adopt-A-Tree Park Map