The Toronto Tree Thread

[Northern Light]

Sightlines would also be a concern. Road salt/brine spray can also desiccate the needles.

Broadly true; though worth adding, White Spruce and highly salt tolerant. Red Cedar can also handle a fair of salt.

Pines not so much. The conditions of planting would determine viability. (set back from road, soil volume, drainage).

On sightlines, that's part of the pruning issue I noted, that the lower branches would generally need to come off unless the planting area were set back from both roads and sidewalks.

 

[lenaitch]

Broadly true; though worth adding, White Spruce and highly salt tolerant. Red Cedar can also handle a fair of salt.

Pines not so much. The conditions of planting would determine viability. (set back from road, soil volume, drainage).

On sightlines, that's part of the pruning issue I noted, that the lower branches would generally need to come off unless the planting area were set back from both roads and sidewalks.

If we're talking boulevards - so fairly close to the road - until the tree gained some decent height, the higher percentage of limbs and needles in most conifers is in the lower area. Excessive pruning might impair the health of the tree or, if nothing else, seriously misshapen it.

I've observed conifers quite a distance from rural roads and highways that show obvious signs of desiccation, mostly on the road side but, admittedly, haven't paid much attention to the species.

 

[TwinHuey]

I've been curious about odd looking new plantings in the Midland - St. Clair Park.

Unusually close together.

@Northern Light does this look like that Miyawaki planting technique you made reference to in another thread?

Brimley and Comrie Terrace.

Birds eye view

 

[TwinHuey]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/tiny-forests-japan-canada-1.7114111

 

[Northern Light]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/tiny-forests-japan-canada-1.7114111

Its a good piece, correctly noting that this planting technique is not a panacea; its a trade, a bit more height, a bit faster, but you may get some structurally weaker trees (unbalanced growth) and you will get a significant number of plants dying off.

The claim of 100-year old forest in 10 years is utter nonsense though, and should be dismissed, you get nothing of the sort.

There will not be an 60ft+ trees in a 10-year old forest, unless you planted 30ft trees in the first place. Which is not what happens, and isn't practical.

I'll follow Leslie Look out closely to see if it performs better than what I've seen elsewhere.

Still, in general, I'm in favour of more planting, as long as the right species are chosen.

****

Our real weak spots in Toronto in respect of forest management are:

1) Properly, aggressively, managing non-native, invasive species (we don't)

2) We rarely invest in restoring the under-story of forests, with herbaceous plants. (ie. ferns, grasses, wildflowers).

3) Finally, we really don't invest enough in critical and diverse habitats. We tend to do 'basic forest' a lot with a few wetlands for good measure; and now, we are doing more work on Meadows as well.

But we rarely, if ever, seek to recreate swamps, bogs, fens, clusters of rare/extirpated/endangered plants, we also don't spend enough time on creating 'interior forest' space, making sure to create forest with enough size/depth to accommodate a range of wildlife/plants that don't like 'edge habitats'.