Anna Meng is the Stewardship Ecologist with the Toronto Nature Stewards (TNS), a grassroots initiative to increase volunteer stewardship of Toronto’s urban ravines and natural areas.
Following her studies in Forest & Wildlife Conservation Science (BSc) at the University of Toronto, Anna discovered her passion for applied research in ecological restoration and integrating scientific knowledge with community wisdom. Since the launch of TNS’ pilot program in 2021, Anna has been involved in the development of the training curriculum, invasive plant information sheets, and building the organization’s capacity. Anna’s current project explores the intersections between ecological monitoring (information, knowledge) and stewardship practices (action, application).
TSN Conference 2026
January 22nd, 2026 (Thursday) // 11:35 am – 12:35 pm // Room 103 // How Community-Led Stewardship Works: A Toronto Model // Since 2021, Toronto Nature Stewards (TNS), based at the University of Toronto’s Daniels Faculty, has partnered with the City of Toronto to create a scalable, community-led model of urban ecosystem care. Volunteers remove invasive species and restore native habitats on public lands, strengthening community connection to nature. Through our “train the trainer” model, over 150 volunteers have become Lead Stewards, guiding stewardship across 49 sites citywide. This decentralized approach builds knowledge, responsibility, and lasting community engagement. Stewards join for many reasons—gaining ecological knowledge from experts, spending time outdoors to boost well-being, and finding that direct action counters climate despair. Our network has grown to 1,500+ active volunteers. By sharing our volunteer-led stewardship model at the 2026 TSN Conference, we aim to inspire municipalities to empower communities in urban forest restoration.