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The City Project #3
Out On A Limb: Saving the Urban Tree Canopy; The City Project, Book 3
It's often said that trees are the only form of city infrastructure that actually increase in value and capacity over time. So why have so many North American cities historically underfunded their care and maintenance? And why do we continue to indiscriminately mow down trees – and entire urban forests?
Out On A Limb answers these questions and more, as it explores the secret lives and extraordinary infrastructure benefits of trees in cities, the critical role urban forests can play in increasing climate resiliency, and how grassroots organizations can empower city leaders to invest in the urban trees and forests we love–and need.
Out On A Limb answers these questions and more, as it explores the secret lives and extraordinary infrastructure benefits of trees in cities, the critical role urban forests can play in increasing climate resiliency, and how grassroots organizations can empower city leaders to invest in the urban trees and forests we love–and need.
- GenresNonfiction
126 pages, Paperback
Published May 19, 2026
About the author
Erna Buffie
2 books13 followersAbout "Let Us Be True:"
See an interview about the writing of Let Us Be True:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO5Z1...
"...Let Us Be True remains vital, present and taut throughout. A story as starkly beautiful as a prairie landscape."
The Globe and Mail
"...delicously vivid prose..."
CBC Books
"Buffie has crafted a stunning addition to the Canadian literary canon…"
The Calgary Journal
About Erna Buffie:
"Let Us Be True" is Erna Buffie's first novel. Her short stories have appeared in various journals from Room to The Vagrant Review of New Fiction. Over the past 25 years, Erna has worked in the film industry, producing award-winning documentary films, for broadcasters around the world. Her most recent film "Smarty Plants" won for best direction at the Canadian Screen Awards and aired on PBS Nature under the title "What Plants Talk About." After living in Montreal and Halifax, she decided to return to her hometown, Winnipeg, in 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 16, 2026
It's always lovely to read hopeful, positive books that wax eloquent about the benefits of nature, and are current and local!
However, there's a few things that take this one down from 4-5 stars for me:
- while it's a short book, Buffie definitely oversimplified (and in some cases, such as the Parker Lands reference, misrepresented) complex issues. This holds true both for specific conservation cases in Winnipeg, and for more general concepts around urban planning
- There's often a very real tension between spending priorities in cities, and conflicting rights. Buffie mentions some of this, but tends to redirect those conflicts towards an idealism that I wish were possible but so often just isn't
- The structure is too scattered for me. Is this a book about the importance of urban trees? About how an activism campaign was successful and where to go from here? About what individuals can implement? All of those are worthy topics and can even co-exist, but I don't think Buffie quite decided what the priority was, and this needed some tidying of the lines of thought
- it's not going to age well. While I love how up to the minute this is, it's EXTREMELY current, to the point that in ten years it's going to be quite out of date. It's more like an extra long in depth magazine feature than a book.
However, there's a few things that take this one down from 4-5 stars for me:
- while it's a short book, Buffie definitely oversimplified (and in some cases, such as the Parker Lands reference, misrepresented) complex issues. This holds true both for specific conservation cases in Winnipeg, and for more general concepts around urban planning
- There's often a very real tension between spending priorities in cities, and conflicting rights. Buffie mentions some of this, but tends to redirect those conflicts towards an idealism that I wish were possible but so often just isn't
- The structure is too scattered for me. Is this a book about the importance of urban trees? About how an activism campaign was successful and where to go from here? About what individuals can implement? All of those are worthy topics and can even co-exist, but I don't think Buffie quite decided what the priority was, and this needed some tidying of the lines of thought
- it's not going to age well. While I love how up to the minute this is, it's EXTREMELY current, to the point that in ten years it's going to be quite out of date. It's more like an extra long in depth magazine feature than a book.
June 18, 2026
4 stars for content + 3 stars for execution = 3.5 stars, rounded up.
For better or for worse, reads like the transcript of a TED Talk without any visuals.
Appreciated the author's passion and experience, but badly wished for a more structured approach to the subject matter, particularly the prescriptive elements at the end.
There is a preponderance of scientific evidence that personal and public health would benefit significantly from substantially more public funds and community action in support of urban flora.
The conversational tone of the book ensures the accessibility of this message to the most casual readers, but the message might have been conveyed even more effectively via sub-headings and bullet points within each chapter. Otherwise, it risks falling into the trap of becoming a stream-of-consciousness sermon to the already converted.
In all, a relatively short and easy read, and a worthy entry in this ongoing and essential City Project book series, but some readers may wish it were more clear and definitive in outlining the ways that concerned citizens can take action within their community.
For better or for worse, reads like the transcript of a TED Talk without any visuals.
Appreciated the author's passion and experience, but badly wished for a more structured approach to the subject matter, particularly the prescriptive elements at the end.
There is a preponderance of scientific evidence that personal and public health would benefit significantly from substantially more public funds and community action in support of urban flora.
The conversational tone of the book ensures the accessibility of this message to the most casual readers, but the message might have been conveyed even more effectively via sub-headings and bullet points within each chapter. Otherwise, it risks falling into the trap of becoming a stream-of-consciousness sermon to the already converted.
In all, a relatively short and easy read, and a worthy entry in this ongoing and essential City Project book series, but some readers may wish it were more clear and definitive in outlining the ways that concerned citizens can take action within their community.
Review of advance copy
Would have benefitted from more extensive citations, I think.
June 8, 2026
Smart, thoroughly researched, and a compelling argument for a well maintained urban forest and as importantly, a healthy urban forestry budget.
June 26, 2026
Great book about the importance of trees in the urban environment. Clear and easy to read. Packed with lots of information we should all be aware of if we care about our environment.
July 27, 2026
PLANT MORE TREES
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews