iWonder: reSTORYing Nature
Consultation has concluded
The Town of Newmarket will be hosting an iWonder event dedicated to climate change, tree protection and the environment on Saturday, October 5 at the Robert N. Shelton Operations Centre (1275 Maple Hill Court) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This family friendly hands-on, activity-based event is meant to engage and inspire residents to think about climate change differently and the things they can do to improve the well-being of our community.
At this event, you will get to:
- Test drive various electric cars
- Create fairy and elf boxes for trees that you want to protect
- Participate in a story-time session with mother earth
- Provide your feedback on climate change and the tree protection by-law
- Learn more about our environmentally friendly initiatives (LIDs, Stormwater Management, Active Transportation Plan, Bee City etc.)
- Go on a tour of our 65,000, square foot, LEED Silver Standard environmentally friendly Operations Centre and more!
All feedback collected will help shape our Climate Change Strategy.
Tell your story
To help us think about our relationship with nature, we are collecting stories about trees that have special meaning in your life. Do you have a favourite tree memory? What is its significance and why is it your favourite?
Submit an original image along with your story and it may be shared on our social media channels. You are also welcome to share your story directly on social media using the hashtags #reSTORYingNature and #NewmarketTrees, and don't forget to tag @TownofNewmarket.
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Tree Village
Long ago when I was in grade 3, our class visited Pioneer Village to learn about the history of the region and life in the 1860s. Upon returning from our trip, my friends and I transformed these giant evergreen trees in the school field into what we called 'Tree Village'. We each claimed a tree and built our huts at the base of the trunks. We had a Tree Village Leader and even used the pine cones as currency to buy and trade things we'd find or make out of anything we could get our hands on.
I look back... Continue reading
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My Mango Tree
When I was little, my family and I would visit our grandparents. In the back of their home stood a beautiful mango tree and that tree would provide the most delicious mangos. Hundreds of mangos hanging from its branches and we would spend hours just sitting at the base of the tree eating fresh fruit. It was surreal.
Perhaps it was not apparent at first, but those memories helped me understand the importance of nature. Nature affects us in all aspects of life and conservation is more critical now than ever before.
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How my Backyard Maple Saved my Life
I can't remember my exact age - I think I was either 6 or 7 at the time and me and my brother would always climb the tree in my backyard. This maple was (and still is) the perfect climbing tree. It has a natural stepping stool and the perfect branches to grab, climb or relax.
One day, when my brother and I were climbing, I made it up about 12 feet in the tree. I missed my foot placement and fell from a branch. Luckily, the tree had a branch in the shape of a "Y" and it caught... Continue reading
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Trees Have Families
I have an old Farm Maple tree in my front yard. A number of years ago, I was asked to cut it down because its limbs were leaning over the sidewalk. I decided to leave the trunk as it was home to so many critters and it had stood guard over my house for likely over 100 years. During the past 3 years two young trees have grown up right beside the trunk and when you first look you think these branches belong to the old tree trunk. These young trees have given the old trunk new life, as well... Continue reading
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Faces in Trees
When I went to my first overnight camp, there was a night walking tour where the guide would shine a flashlight at older trees to show us the 'faces' or spirits that lived within the trees and the story of how these 'faces' came about.
It was a memorable moment for me because for the first time, it made me think of trees as more than trees, but living beings that embody life around us.
