Serviceberry Tour + Sampling

In recognition of National Pollinator Week, students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to participate in TMU’s Serviceberry Tour + Sampling event!

A partnership between the Sustainability Office, the Urban Farm, the Centre for Studies in Food Security and faculty members from the School of Social Work, attendees will tour, learn and sample from the 20+ native serviceberry shrubs that grow on our campus. During the tour, participants will also be introduced to other edible plants that grow on campus like crabapples and will visit TMU’s new Native Pollinator Garden.

Participants will learn about the essential role pollinators play in our food system and how urban spaces like our campus can be spaces for regenerative and inclusive food production. The event will also explore how native crops like serviceberries support seasonal eating and food sovereignty, as well as how some Indigenous Peoples use serviceberries in their cuisine and traditions.

What are serviceberries and why are they ecologically significant?

Native to Ontario, serviceberry shrubs (also known as shadbush) produce an edible fruit and support both local biodiversity and traditional Indigenous foodways. Harvesting them helps TMU make use of natural resources already growing on campus.

Our campus’ 20+ serviceberry shrubs support our local wildlife year-round, providing a source of nectar for pollinators when in flower in the spring, food for animals when berries are ripe mid-summer and provide shelter and nesting for insects, birds and small mammals throughout the year.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the Serviceberry Tour + Sampling event, please contact Erica Wilkinson, sustainability coordinator, at erica.wilkinson@torontomu.ca.