City staff presented a report at today's City Council meeting on the state of the City's trees following the 2022 derecho. This report came in response to an inquiry from Councillor Riley Brockington (Ward 16 River) on March 22 this year. Brockington asked to learn
- the number of trees lost on City property as a result of the storm
- the number of trees and stumps that remain to be addressed
- the plan to replace trees that were lost in 2022—including those to be planted in 2023—not part of the normal tree planting program
Here are a few key points of the report:
- More than 2,500 trees on City land were lost in the derecho
- Most tree removal and pruning on City land is finished
- Some stumping (grinding and removal) on City land remains
- 101 trees were planted last fall through the Trees in Trust program, and 150 are ready for planting this spring
- Staff will focus replanting efforts in fall 2023 in parks
- Six sites were planted in fall 2022 with a total of 6,000 trees; 2,675 trees will be planted on three sites this spring, and twelve sites will be planted this fall
- Public Works will plant its target 100,000 trees this year, plus 7,500 trees to compensate for the derecho, and 10,000 additional trees in Pinhey’s Point Park through the federal 2 Billion Trees program
You can read the entire report below (or download it here).
We know that climate change will make extreme weather events that imperil trees increasingly common—like the ice storm we had a few weeks ago. It's imperative that we take all measures to protect our existing trees and increase our tree canopy. The City has several ways you can get a tree planted in your area. You can also sign our petition to defend Ottawa's trees.
Image source: CBC News.
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