The
Sustainability
Project.

Two very atypical tree-planting events are fast approaching.

Wiarton's Miyawaki "Tiny" Forest official unveiling will take place on Monday, Sept 18th at 930am where Regenerate Grey Bruce and The Sustainability Project present the new Miyawaki Tiny Forest and Bioswale to the media for the first time.

A Mini-forest hub mapping project shows other regional mini-forests across Ontario, and the list has been growing noticeably each season. What sets these tree-planting events apart from the rest, is what any “Tiny” Forest" project's aim claims: education and community-building, front and centre.

The Wiarton Miyawaki Tiny Forest is strategically in the back play yard of the only school in Wiarton, Peninsula Shores District School. The organizers received permission in the spring to replace sections of the yard with three distinct areas which will be profiled at the Sept 18th event: a bioswale to move stormwater, a tiny forest "the size of a tennis court" and a nearby outdoor classroom. A grassroots group of organizers wrote grants over the past year to support the idea, and received funding from Lake Huron Forever, TD Friends of the Environment, and Wiarton Rotary.

Organizers from The Sustainability Project, Regenerate Grey Bruce, and Stewardship Grey Bruce, along with school staff and representatives from the Bluewater District School Board will be in attendance at the unveiling, along with teacher champion Nick Schwass. Refreshments and light snacks source from Ontario's Greenbelt will be served. The organizers are asking attendees to arrive promptly for 9:30am for the unveiling of some interpretive signage. The plants has been in the ground for several months now, so have more foliage to show then when they were planted, bare-root, in the spring. A timeline of project photography is available here and the newsletter updates throughout the project are found here.

This event will come hot on the heels of another community gathering just south in Owen Sound where Neighbourwoods North, community volunteers and the public will join Grey County in installing a second phase of regeneration on the county Administration Building's front lawn of finely-manicured grass. Last year Grey County agreed to "Transform the Lawn" on a north section of this front yard at the corner of Hwy6 and 6th St East, planting native species of tree and shrub. This year they're adding a raingarden of native plants.

Reposted from Grey County https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/going-green-in-grey-transform-the-lawn-20-tickets-698642928807

On Wednesday, September 13, Grey County in partnership with NeighbourWoods North will be hosting a community planting event at the Grey County Administration Building from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

This event continues efforts to naturalize the Grey County property and supports the goals of Going Green in Grey: Climate Change Action Plan 2022-2050. Get your hands dirty and learn about native, bee-friendly landscaping. Refreshments will be available for those who attend, so pre-registration is encouraged.

The community is invited to help us continue planting and to learn more about Grey County's response to climate action and local stewardship opportunities [at the September 13th event]

Both events are open to the public, to celebrate some modest successes this past year in changing the narrative of what's a desirable lawn.

Sept 13 at 3:00pm: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/going-green-in-grey-transform-the-lawn-20-tickets-698642928807

Sept 18 at 9:30am https://thesustainabilityproject.ca/events/list/tiny-forest-unveiling