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On Tuesday, June 25, Council approved two reports related to the Tree Planting Strategy: Tree Equity Analysis and Tree Program Review – Early Actions. The Tree Planting Strategy is the feature project of the Urban Forest Management Plan for this Term of Council. The project will help move the City towards the new urban canopy cover target of 40% by shifting the approach to tree planting from reactive to proactive. These reports have details on early actions to guide work under the Tree Planting Strategy and start the process of growing the urban forest. The early actions approved are summarized below.
Approach to Tree Equity Analysis
The equitable distribution of tree canopy is a guiding principle of the Tree Planting Strategy. To incorporate equity, staff will be using American Forests’ Tree Equity Score to undertake a tree equity analysis for the city. This approach will support the goal of providing residents with equitable access to urban forest canopy cover. The American Forests’ methodology uses multiple socio-economic and health factors to correlate equity to urban tree cover. The results of the analysis will enable staff to identify and target priority areas for tree planting. The analysis is currently underway, and staff will be back with results later this year.
Tree Dedication Program
Staff have unveiled their rebrand of the Commemorative Tree Program. The new program will be the Tree Dedication Program and will have a wider eligibility for dedications, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones. The program will have two streams: “Personal Dedications” and “Community Dedications” with revised costs. Staff will be working on detailed implementation and communications plans. Stay tuned for more information on application for 2025.
Proactive Right-of-Way (ROW) Replacements
The current approach to replacing trees on the ROW is reactive, meaning that residents must request a replacement tree through the Trees in Trust program. The new approach to replacing trees on the ROW will be proactive. This means when a tree is removed, it will be replaced without the need for the resident to contact the City about a replacement. To accommodate this shift to a proactive approach, the City would scale up caliper tree planting operations by about 2000 trees over several years. Staff are working to determine funding for this new approach.
New Private Land Tree Planting Program
Private property currently offers a large opportunity to increase urban forest cover. A new Private Land Tree Planting program was approved that will include city-wide tree distributions and full-service tree planting in areas identified as a priority by the tree equity analysis. More details will be shared as staff develop the program.
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Several early actions under the Tree Planting Strategy will be considered at the Environment and Climate Change Committee (ECCC) meeting on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 at 9:30 am. View the agenda here. This includes two reports; Tree Equity Analysis and Tree Program Review – Early Actions.
This hybrid meeting will be held in the Champlain Room, and through electronic participation in accordance with Section 238 of the Municipal Act and the Procedure By-law.
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The City provides a variety of programs and projects for tree planting along residential streets, in parks, greenspaces and forested areas. Descriptions of the City's current tree planted programs are listed below. For more information on the programs, please click on the program heading or contact us at urbantree@ottawa.ca.
Trees in Trust Program
The Trees in Trust program works with homeowners to find suitable locations for street trees on the City-owned street frontage (right-of-way). The street frontage of a home is the space between the property line and the roadway or sidewalk. The City supplies and plants the tree at no charge to the homeowner. Trees planted through the Trees in Trust program are a minimum size of 2 to 3 meters in height (50 mm caliper). Homeowners must pledge to assist with the proper tree care (watering) for the first three years of after planting. There is a limit of one tree per single fronting household or two trees per corner lot and the proposed planting location must meet the Trees in Trust program criteria. To participate in the Trees in Trust Program, the homeowner must make a request by calling 3-1-1 or online at Ottawa.ca/311.
Commemorative Tree Program
The Commemorative Tree Program assists families or groups who wish to have a tree planted in a City park in remembrance or to commemorate a loved one who has passed away. With the purchase of a Commemorative Tree there is an opportunity to install a plaque at the base of the tree in memory of the individual who passed away. City staff will assist with the park selection and meet the family or group on site to choose a location and tree type. The cost of a Commemorative Tree is $400 (plus HST) and includes planting of a 2 to 3 meters in height (50 mm caliper), watering for a three-year period, the installation of the plaque, and receipt for a charitable donation. The plaque is arranged by the family or group through a monument company of their choice and is not included in the cost of the Commemorative Tree.
Schoolyard Tree Planting Grant Program
Tree planting projects on school property within the City of Ottawa are eligible to apply for the Schoolyard Tree Planting Grant Program. Applications will be accepted from Student or Parent Councils, environmental/garden clubs, or other groups/ individuals that can demonstrate a commitment to the tree planting project in partnership with the school. In addition to project coordination, applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform tree maintenance activities for the successful establishment of the trees. The maximum grant funding level per applicant in any one year is $10,000. Grants may be awarded in funds (up to $500 per tree) or in trees supplied and planted by the City. No matching funds are required. The deadline for application is June 1 for projects to be implemented the following spring.
The Green Acres Rural Reforestation program is delivered in partnership with the Conservation Authorities with a goal to transforms empty, idle fields into thriving forested areas. The program begins with providing landowners with advice and assistance to create a planting plan for their property. The landowners must be rural property owners within City of Ottawa boundaries, have a minimum of 0.4 hectares (1 acre) of suitable land and must agree to cover the subsidized cost of the tree seedlings, site preparation, planting and tending and agree to reasonably protect the plantation. The funding is provided to a maximum of 50% on a cost shared basis.
The City of Ottawa is committed to planting trees to enhance our existing city parks, facilities, and streets. Ongoing requests are received from community groups and residents for additional tree planting in these areas. City staff will work to evaluate locations and implement tree planting as City resources permit. Project development will include opportunities for input from the public and other city departments, utility clearance checks, appropriate species selection, and an implementation plan for the planting and maintenance of the trees.
Community Volunteer Tree Planting Projects
A community volunteer tree planting project plants small trees in City parks or greenspace with the assistance of community groups who volunteer their time at a planting event. These can be reforestation projects, where trees are being replaced in a forested area, or afforestation projects, where trees are being planted in a greenspace where there were none before. City staff will work with community groups to identify good planting locations, secure required approvals, order and supply the tree stock, provide tree planting guidance on the planting day, and coordinate other logistics for the event. The community group contributes volunteer time to plant a mix of native potted trees, typically 50cm to 100cm tall.
Reforestation/Afforestation Projects
City-owned forested areas may be damaged from storm events or the impact of pests/diseases. Planting operations are sometimes required to ensure successful regrowth in these forested areas. Operations may also include the removal and treatment of invasive plants and other competing species. This helps naturally growing and planted native trees to grow. These large-scale reforestation projects first began in response to the Emerald Ash Borer infestation and projects are now typically in response to extreme weather events (tornadoes, derecho, ice storms). Afforestation projects involve planting trees to create a new forest. These large-scale projects provide opportunities to increase forest cover.
