A #homegrownnationalpark year in review.

The Homegrown National Park has been one of my favourite projects since moving to this city. Every one of their projects included planting native plants along the lost Garrison Creek. I learned a lot from participating in this project and meeting the rangers.

• I learned about the lost rivers under Toronto. To be honest, not a concept that I had really connected with in an urban setting before. I knew about rivers lost to agricultural drainage and the rerouting of southwestern Ontario's river systems. We do things a little differently here in the city, but with pretty similar consequences. 
• I learned a lot about creating alvar ecosystem analogues in repurposed canoes. Canoes gardens are great big container gardens. It requires a deceivingly large amount of soil to fill them. 
• I learned a lot about how to encourage more people to participate in community-based volunteer-led projects and events. I'll sum it up by saying: make everything about the projects and events fun. Even make the planning meetings fun. Make the signs fun. I still have a Homegrown National Park card posted on my wall because I actually like to look at it. Even when you think that the content is far more important than the fun because why doesn't everyone just care about this project, don't fall back on your old ways. Fun first, content second. People will learn what you're trying to tell them when they want to spend their free time listening.
• Also, I learned about the importance of presenting events and projects in a simple and accessible way. Even if the logistics are complicated and an entire team of people and organizations are running the show, make sure that it is easy for people to participate. Make maps that are really clear and easy to follow and tell people when to show up. Then tell them a few of the exciting parts of the event to keep them interested. Then don't bog them down with anything else. Work really hard to remove the barriers that could keep people from taking part in a massive, moving event full of food, music, ecology, nature and more than 1000 people will come.

two, three, four.