Supporting Corporate Engagement in Forest Stewardship on Public Land in Toronto, Ontario

The initiation of a corporate stewardship management plan for a public ravine in Toronto, Ontario was the focus of this study. The goal was to take the first steps, as outlined in the plan, and to recommend appropriate next steps going into its second year. Vegetation sampling was performed in the ravine to start the plan’s preliminary site inventory and to collect data to guide invasive plant species management. Recommendations were developed from reviews of related literature and stewardship management plans of organizations in North America. Systems of stewardship activity monitoring, data collection, storage, and knowledge-sharing were recommended. This corporate stewardship has the potential to inspire other businesses and entities to form stewardship management groups that can augment the City of Toronto’s, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s, and the few City-supported stewardship groups’ efforts to maintain and improve biodiversity in natural public areas in and around Toronto