2025 Tree Equity Ambassadors, Magdalena and Ekager, at the Centre for Spiritual Living Mini-Forest
Calgary Climate Hub's Tree Equity Ambassador program launched in Spring 2025 to address the disparity in urban tree canopy between neighbourhoods, particularly within racialized and low-income neighbourhoods in Calgary.
Drawing inspiration from American Forests Tree Equity Ambassador project, as well as a similar program in Austin Texas, this local initiative trains ambassadors about tree equity, the Miyawaki Forest method, and nature-based solutions with the purpose of promoting community eco-restoration and climate mitigation/adaptation projects, with underserved and underrepresented neighbourhoods across Calgary.
2026 Tree Equity Ambassadors
Arabella Wong
Arabella is a student in Environmental Science at the University of Calgary. She’s always had a passion for nature and community, and loves learning, exploring, and building connections with the natural world. She first fell in love with nature when she started to learn about edible and medicinal plants, and how significant and full of possibilities even plants in the sidewalk were. She fell in love with the city as well, realizing how precious our natural spaces are. Arabella is happy to be working as a Tree Ambassador with the Calgary Climate Hub, to bring the power of nature to those who need it.
Ayesha Zaheer
Ayesha Zaheer (she/her) holds a Master of Philosophy in Environmental Sciences from Government College University in Pakistan. Her work has always sat where environmental science, education, and community meet, and her love of nature photography keeps her attentive to the green spaces around her. Since settling in Calgary, Ayesha has been struck by how unevenly the city's tree canopy is shared from one neighbourhood to the next. As a Tree Equity Ambassador, she brings resident voices into the conversation and helps grow Calgary's network of Miyawaki mini forests, building greener, more equitable neighbourhoods one forest at a time.
Check out our past Tree Equity Ambassadors!