The Humber Arboretum is a public garden, nature centre, and protected conservation area located in North Etobicoke and used by many different community members. It’s surrounded by residential neighbourhoods and Humber Polytechnic’s north campus. The 200 acre space is in joint partnership between the city of Toronto, the college and the Region Conservation Authority. It is rich in flora and fauna, ponds and wetlands and is home to a section of the Humber River that runs through from the top to bottom tips of the nature area. There is a trail system that spans throughout the garden that is used by different community members and connects to the arboretum’s Center for Urban Ecology which is used for educational programs and special events.

I created the signage system to satisfy a missed opportunity for the arboretum to engage visitors more and help them learn about the local ecology. Currently there is a lack of way finding signs which makes it confusing for visitors and poses many safety hazards. The goal of the signage system is to both blend in well with the natural environment but also be visible enough and legible so that community members, students and other visitors can easily find their way around the entire arboretum and nature area.