Ecological restoration of the Carstowe Road Lands may be more than a far-off dream, thanks to Toronto Nature Stewards (TNS) Currently, this area along the southern border of Moore Park is the domain of invasive species including European buckthorn, dog-strangling vine, goutweed, Japanese knotweed, phragmites, and English ivy, as well as invasive trees such as Norway Maples and small-leafed Linden. However, a new stewardship project at this site will be working to bring about a gradual transition to a mixed forest of deciduous trees and conifers common to Toronto ravines.
Toronto Nature Stewards is an organization of trained volunteers who are focused on restoring the natural beauty of Toronto’s parks and public land. With City approval, they operate within a community-led system, where each trained Lead Steward supervises up to ten volunteers. In 2025, TNS worked at 49 locations across the City. The location of the Carstowe stewardship project will be along the north side of Carstowe Road, between Mount Pleasant Road and Maclennan Avenue (by the footbridge to North Rosedale). The site is over 400m east-to-west, and is about 20m wide on average.
The Carstowe Road project will be spearheaded by John Oyston, an experienced TNS volunteer and certified Lead Steward who has lived a block south of Carstowe Road for the last 25 years. He has an Ontario Diploma in Horticulture and has served on the Boards of the North American Native Plant Society and Don’t Mess with the Don. In 2022, he volunteered with TNS at nearby Roxborough Parkette and, more recently, as leader of a successful TNS restoration project at Leaside Park.   Here is a link to John’s Blog.
Timeline for TNS Carstowe Road
January to April 2026 will be devoted to engaging with Moore Park neighbours about the project, and recruiting volunteers. The stewardship season will begin on the weekend of April 25th with a cleanup event to coincide with the City’s Clean Toronto Together program.
After that there will be a series of weekly or bi-weekly events (day and time TBD) focused on removing invasive species at times determined by their respective growth cycles. Removal methods will include pruning, scything, digging, spading, and even extractigating(!). Volunteers will be trained in the appropriate methods of removing each invasive species, and no prior experience is required.