Sayeh first got to know DMWTD when she and her daughter volunteered for a garbage pick up in May 2019. The Don River is one of the 3 rivers that runs through Toronto and flows at the base of a stunning and large ravine system. If you’re interested in learning about this impressive river and its rich history, please check out Jennifer Bonnell’s insightful book: Reclaiming the Don.
While Sayeh had followed the great work of DMWTD on social media, when she met Lawrence and Nancy at the 2024 plant sale of the North American Native Plant Society, she was delighted to learn that the group had expanded their volunteer work and was engaged in conservation work, removing invasives and adding native plants. In September 2024, as Sayeh was trying to get loving homes for the remaining plants grown by USS that were in her care, she reached out to Lawrence and Nancy and they were happy to have native plants to use for upcoming plantings.
To get a better sense of the conservation efforts of DMWTD, on October 10th, Sayeh joined the group on one of their weekend events. The day began with a fun and crafty intro to a free workshop teaching everyone how to make wreaths from branches of invasive European buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica and decorating them with other found pinecones, leaves and bits of bark. The guided walk through the Sun Valley conservation area was the perfect way to get an idea of the challenges and uphill battle faced by this dedicated and hard-working group.
If you’d like to sign up to be a part of our 2025 cohort to volunteer for dividing and potting up seedlings for the DMWTD project, please sign up using this form:
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