Trees, tables and circular systems at U of T

Felled trees find a second life on the St. George campus as beautiful wooden pieces, stamped with their origins, as tribute to the land they came from.

Dotted across the University of Toronto’s St. George campus are uniquely beautiful wooden pieces, stamped with the identity and location of the tree they were crafted from. You may have seen some of these pieces—live-edged wooden tables in study areas, board rooms and common areas, awards statuettes, bowls and coasters, as well as benches and shelves—and wondered how they came to be there. 

These pieces represent many things: U of T’s commitment to a respectful and sustainable relationship with the land it occupies, a partnership with local craftspeople, an eye on the future and a spirit of thoughtful growth. 

Many of these pieces are made from trees that were removed to facilitate the creation of the Landmark Project. This project brought about the restoration of King’s College Circle from a car-dominated space to one that is biodiverse and pedestrian-friendly. Over 253 new trees were planted as a part of Landmark, and it sits atop Canada’s largest urban geoexchange, a giant thermal battery which is contributing to U of T’s climate positive goals by helping to sustainably heat and cool surrounding buildings. 

Removing any healthy tree on the St. George campus is never done lightly. Home to hundreds of well-tended trees of varying age, the university follows a thorough period of study and consultation with various groups before any removal, including Indigenous groups, arborists, engineers, builders and others. Construction zones will be moved and project maps will be redrawn to save a tree wherever possible. While trees may have to be removed due to age, disease or extensive weather damage, only when it is deemed absolutely necessary will a tree come down for construction purposes.  

“Large infrastructure projects such as Project Leap are transforming the way we use energy and moving us toward our goal of becoming climate positive by 2050. These projects are critical but can require major excavation to upgrade energy infrastructure,” says Catherine Thorn, Director, Sustainability and Energy Management.  

 “We make every effort to avoid disturbing trees and green spaces, but sometimes it’s a necessary step to get to significant long-term benefits. For example, by transforming how we heat and cool our campus, Project Leap alone will save nearly 50,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually—equivalent to the energy use of more than 10,000 homes.” 

 When a tree does have to be removed, the wood is carefully stored and catalogued, ready to potentially be returned to the university where it grew and was loved by generations, to be appreciated in a new form by future generations. 

Across campus, you can find a wide variety of wooden pieces crafted in partnership with a company called Just Be Woodsy, founded by Robert Jarvis. 

“The preparation, determination and focus that was required to complete [the Landmark] project was immense.  Having to take these amazing logs full of history, that helped form the fabric of our collective time in those spaces and transform them over months of milling, drying and fabrication was both enjoyable and deeply satisfying,” says Jarvis. 

“The provenance [the stamp that identifies the wood’s origin and type] provides a very explicit way of expressing the connection between our tables and our trees. The hope is to spark some curiosity as well as some meaning.” 

A few places to find reclaimed wood on campus: 

1. Ziibiing at Hart House Green

   

2. School of the Environment

   

3. Exam Centre/ F&S Central Office at 255 McCaul

   

4. First Nations House: Indigenous Student Services

   

5. Experiential Learning Commons

   

    

These pieces reflect U of T’s commitment to balancing sustainable initiatives and campus development with environmental stewardship.