The Great Pawpaw Parade 2022

Growing A New Harvest Celebration

Bigger than Ever - This Year's Parade Will Distribute 300+ Pawpaw Trees!

Let's make October Pawpaw month - in the spirit and practice of reconciliation, we are inviting both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to help bring the pawpaw back to southern Ontario.

This year is bigger than ever! Carolinian Canada has invited 20+ Groups and Organizations to host the parade in their communities. If you would like to apply to adopt pawpaws or a Native Plant Garden Kit, apply below and pick a local group as your pickup location. Submit your story, and you may be selected to receive either trees or a kit!

Want to secure some Pawpaws and still give back to the Parade? Watch for this year's Pawpaw Popup Shop fundraiser - we will be selling a small number of trees to help fund the Pawpaw Parade.

The 2022 Pawpaw Parade will: give away 100 pawpaw trees in pairs and singles (for lonely Pawpaws!) and 50 Healing Gardens Native Plant Garden Kits.

See the giveaway guidelines for complete details

Committed to Supporting Indigenous Groups and Communities

Each year, the Pawpaw Parade has visited different Indigenous communities across the Carolinian Zone. Carolinian Canada is committed to supporting communities and groups from previous years, and we are expanding to working with even more Indigenous communities this year.

Pawpaw Parade Applications are CLOSED!

Thank you everyone who submitted a garden tracker and application

Only selected applicants will be contacted. Pawpaw parade hosts will contact select applicants after October 12 to arrange pickup dates/times/locations

Read the Giveaway Guidelines

My Wild Green Toolbox

Find Community, Stories, Events, Resources and More to Grow Healthy Landscapes

Meuse Farm Brewing & Market
Pickup Region: Brant / Norfolk Counties
Toronto Master Gardeners
Pickup Region: Toronto
Rouge Valley Foundation
Pickup Region: Toronto
Malvern Community Garden
Pickup Region: Toronto
68th Toronto Scout Group
Pickup Region: Toronto
St. Jacobs Woolwich Butterflyway
Pickup Region: Waterloo
rare Charitable Research & Reserve
Pickup Region: Waterloo
Long Point Basin Land Trust
Pickup Region: Norfolk County
Abundance on the 8th
Pickup Region: Norfolk County
The Green Herons
Pickup Region: Niagara Region
Niagara Nature Tours
Pickup Region: Niagara Region
Friends of the Richmond Street Forest
Pickup Region: Niagara Region
ReForest London
Pickup Region: Middlesex County
Osteostrong
Pickup Region: Middlesex County
Arrowwood Farm
Pickup Region: Middlesex County
South West Woodlot Association
Pickup Region: Lambton County
Hamilton Family Health Team: Green Initiative
Pickup Region: Hamilton
Action 13
Pickup Region: Hamilton
Central Elgin Collegiate Institute
Pickup Region: Elgin County
ReLeaf Chatham-Kent
Pickup Region: Chatham–Kent
Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority
Pickup Region: Chatham–Kent

We Live on Traditional Territories

We live on the traditional territories of many nations including the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Lunaapeew, the Wendat and the Mississauga. We acknowledge the inherent and treaty rights of the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island including the many diverse First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples who live here now. We commit to the teachings of the Two Row Wampum and the One Dish One Spoon Wampum; and our duty to reconcile, learn more and create safe spaces for Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives to meet and discuss the issues that matter to everyone.

Many Indigenous Nations call the Carolinian Zone home, and have long historic treaties and ties to this land. The First Nations that call southwestern Ontario home include; Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Bkejwanong Walpole Island First Nation, Caldwell First Nation, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, The Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, Munsee Delaware Nation, Eelünaapéewi Lahkéewiit (Delaware Nation at Moraviantown), the Mississauga of the Credit, Six Nations and Oneida Nation of the Thames.

About the Pawpaw Parade

Grow Healthy Climate-Smart Neighbourhoods for Everyone

The Great Pawpaw Parade supports and celebrates the passionate people growing Canada’s Biggest Wildlife Garden connecting Toronto to Windsor across the Carolinian Zone. Degraded and fragmented ecosystems make the Zone highly vulnerable to pollution; climate impacts like drought and flooding; and new diseases. Marginalized communities are often the hardest hit by climate change and loss of healthy ecosystems. It’s a dire situation but native plants, like the Pawpaw, can help to decolonize the landscape, save wildlife, build community and grow ecosystems everywhere. (Pssst... Diversifying with any native plant is climate-smart!) We envision a world where everyone can step their door and be immersed in nature; where communities thrive because of healthy, resilient landscapes.

Discover Local Rarities and Local Stories

The Pawpaw is a small, rare tree that bears North America’s largest native fruit, with tones of mango and banana. It connects diverse stories from First Nations who have grown it for centuries; to farmers and rural landowners who protect remnant wild stands; to foodies who are ‘re-discovering’ the delicious fruit for urban agriculture. The Zebra Swallowtail, disappeared from Canada, needs the Pawpaw tree to survive. Canadian gardeners can help it adapt to climate change by providing critical habitat at the northern edge of its range. Native plants help local pollinators thrive and respond to a shifting climate. Meanwhile, Carolinian Canada sees it as hope for the future, representing 1,500 local wild plants essential to healthy local environments and help to grow equal access to healthy ecosystems and nearby nature for everyone.

Join the Parade at Home

Carolinian Canada’s Great Pawpaw Parade starts with our on-line community sharing stories and applying for giveaways. Starting in September the Parade will take to the road late: Ben Porchuk, Ecologist with Carolinian Canada will share wild treasures across the Zone, connecting stories from diverse communities. Parade connections are by invitation and follow Covid-19 safety protocols.

The Pawpaw Parade Story

In 2019, the 1st Pawpaw Parade was a pop-up that exploded with interest, attracting over 1,000 virtual participants from diverse communities who wanted to adopt and celebrate the local wild and delicious Pawpaw. The Parade was featured on CBC, the Weather Network and more.

Since it is a rare plant, numbers are limited, but Carolinian Canada’s network of 300 groups and 5000 volunteers is working to reverse that trend for Pawpaw and other native plants that are essential to local healthy environments for wildlife and people.

Carolinian Canada aims to make this a fall tradition so we can all grow a green future, together.

 
Help Grow Canada's Biggest Wildlife Garden.
 
Learn more about My Wild Green Home and Go Wild Grow Wild.
Invest
 
Learn more about Contributing, Donating, and the Conservation Impact Bond.

Carolinian Canada is supported financially by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Government of Ontario, 3M, WWF-Canada, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, Greenbelt Foundation, City of London, London community Foundation, many partners and donors. Canadian Registered Charity 83559 4722.

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