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What city forestry crews are reporting An almost 30-per-cent decrease in survival rate of the 6,000-9,000 trees being planted each year
Many trees spontaneously drop limbs, even on calm days
High Park and other major parks have high numbers of dead oaks
Literally thousands of trees exhibit signs of long-term stress, like splitting and cracking of limbs and dead root systems
Trees in some districts are in such bad shape that cleanup and hazard calls – sometimes as many as 350 a weekend – are leaving little time for maintenance
Trees unable to take water from soil
Reduced growth of trees in general Why tree advocates are raising the alarm Dwindling stocks of older mature trees aren’t being replaced by newer growth Factors contributing to reduced survival rates No cash for city watering program
Inadequate monitoring of recently planted trees
Shrinking rights of way cut into the soil needed for successful growth
Private contractors hired by the city aren’t taking enough care to ensure trees are properly planted and maintained
Development and shrinking land base
Pollution
Extended periods of drought
Extreme heat spikes What it will cost to save dying trees $490,000 for a watering program Why council says it can’t afford it Budget pressures Why that explanation doesn’t make financial sense It’s already costing the city more – between $1.5 million and $2.5 million a year – to remove dying trees What council is doing instead Crying poor
Spending money on a PR campaign to get business owners and residents to water street trees
Asking residents to round up their water and tax bills a few cents or dollars so the extra funds can go to tree watering and care
Confusing the public by preaching water conservation in times of drought, while at the same time encouraging them to water city trees What federal and provincial governments are doing Ignoring the issue – neither level has developed urban forest policies Other looming threats Asian Longhorned Beetle has already been detected in Woodbridge
Emerald Ash Borer is on its way from Windsor and could arrive as early as next summer What the city should do Stop planting less expensive trees that are generally unable to handle stress, in the interests of saving money Why healthy mature trees are important Their roots absorb thousands of litres of rain that would overwhelm the sewer system and contaminate the beaches
They reduce the heat island effect that makes the city so much hotter than surrounding areas
They reduce energy consumption
They improve air quality What the city’s tree advocate, councillor Joe Pantalone, says
“When you have no money for daycare, for transit, for the homeless, it’s hard to win the argument for trees.”
What the city’s forestry department head, Richard Ubbens, says
“We need to provide sufficient soil to grow large trees again. We can’t just put trees in a 4-foot-by-4-foot hole in the sidewalk any more, like the old days. It doesn’t work. It’s not sustainable. It takes too many resources.”
