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'.

 

[DSC]

A tree equity tool for greener neighbourhoods

The City of Toronto is partnering with American Forests and Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), a non-profit conservation organization, to launch a new Tree Equity Score Analyzer.

The free online public tool allows users to take a closer look at tree equity – a way to describe whether a community is experiencing all the health, economic and climate benefits trees can provide - to design tree planting plans to make a positive impact on their community.

How it works

City staff worked with American Forests to provide local, provincial and federal data to create a Toronto-specific tool that examines which parts of the city will benefit the most from tree planting.

The new Tree Equity Score Analyzer provides a deeper level of data and insights to help users work site-by-site to improve Tree Equity Scores that is expressed as a number between 0 and 100. Each score indicates whether there are enough trees in a neighbourhood. The lower the number, the higher the priority to improve tree equity.

Exploring Tree Equity

The Tree Equity Score Analyzer uses high-resolution tree canopy data to uncover where trees currently exist within a community and where they could potentially be planted to expand the urban forest. The tool looks at key indicators such as neighborhoods with low-income and heat disparity to prioritize areas with the greatest need.

Community organizations and leaders can use the tool to explore possible planting scenarios, set targets and track progress. The Tree Equity Score Analyzer provides auto-generated reports that estimate the projected economic, health and environmental benefits of each tree planting initiative. Benefits include reducing air temperatures, removing air pollution and improving physical and mental well-being.

While the tool provides any user to explore the data and develop planting scenarios, the data within the tool is also being used to inform City programs and services to expand the tree canopy cover where it is needed the most. The tool will also help the City as it works towards reaching its target of 40 per cent canopy cover by 2050.

More information on the Tree Equity Score Analyzer can be found on the City’s webpage: https://can01.safelinks.protection....04qhplUOAKWmyeH9V1y5O9inw7eWNW7kk=&reserved=0.

 

[Admiral Beez]

A tree equity tool for greener neighbourhoods

I remember when the Regent Park redevelopment was being proposed and during the Q&A a resident asked how taking down all the mature trees on the south side of Gerrard between Sackville and River could be considered progress. The developer dismissed this and replied, the trees will be replaced by saplings. As reported below in 2019, many of these will die from neglect. Looking on from my densely wooded Cabbagetown porch that doesn't seem very equitable.

Days are numbered for trees in Toronto’s Regent Park

More than a decade into a revitalization project, residents grapple with the reality that their tree canopy is less healthy than before

www.theglobeandmail.com

 

[Northern Light]

A tree equity tool for greener neighbourhoods

The City of Toronto is partnering with American Forests and Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), a non-profit conservation organization, to launch a new Tree Equity Score Analyzer.

The free online public tool allows users to take a closer look at tree equity – a way to describe whether a community is experiencing all the health, economic and climate benefits trees can provide - to design tree planting plans to make a positive impact on their community.

How it works

City staff worked with American Forests to provide local, provincial and federal data to create a Toronto-specific tool that examines which parts of the city will benefit the most from tree planting.

The new Tree Equity Score Analyzer provides a deeper level of data and insights to help users work site-by-site to improve Tree Equity Scores that is expressed as a number between 0 and 100. Each score indicates whether there are enough trees in a neighbourhood. The lower the number, the higher the priority to improve tree equity.

Exploring Tree Equity

The Tree Equity Score Analyzer uses high-resolution tree canopy data to uncover where trees currently exist within a community and where they could potentially be planted to expand the urban forest. The tool looks at key indicators such as neighborhoods with low-income and heat disparity to prioritize areas with the greatest need.

Community organizations and leaders can use the tool to explore possible planting scenarios, set targets and track progress. The Tree Equity Score Analyzer provides auto-generated reports that estimate the projected economic, health and environmental benefits of each tree planting initiative. Benefits include reducing air temperatures, removing air pollution and improving physical and mental well-being.

While the tool provides any user to explore the data and develop planting scenarios, the data within the tool is also being used to inform City programs and services to expand the tree canopy cover where it is needed the most. The tool will also help the City as it works towards reaching its target of 40 per cent canopy cover by 2050.

More information on the Tree Equity Score Analyzer can be found on the City’s webpage: https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/trees/tree-planting/?accordion=tree-equity&data=05|02|david.crawford@mcgill.ca|4e98faaeaa674302847908dc7e627d81|cd31967152e74a68afa9fcf8f89f09ea|0|0|638524208672020779|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0=|0|||&sdata=fj2q1B/7S/04qhplUOAKWmyeH9V1y5O9inw7eWNW7kk=&reserved=0.

The problem with this is simply that its superfluous.

The City already had the requisite information, it has done aerial surveys and satellite imaging for its Tree Canopy studies, on more than one occasion, it also has urban heat island maps, showing areas with inordinate unshaded pavement/roof that lets out excess heat in the height of summer.

The overlay on the above is pretty close and no additional information was required to know where more trees ought to be planted.

There are pockets in/near the older city, but primarily, we're talking about suburbia, particularly in the general vicinity of the 401.

Here's the last canopy map I saw:

From here:

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-141367.pdf

This is just more time and money circling the bowl when we could actually be doing something instead.

 

[Northern Light]

A couple of posts looking at the health of the City's trees, first the street trees of CIBC Square phase 1:

In the pic below you can see the Birch Trees (left) and the Elm Trees (right) on York street all looking pretty good! (Taken May 26th, 2024)

A close-up of the Birch:

A close up of the Elm:

Now a whole slew of the Redwoods, from every angle:

 

[Northern Light]

The second post looks at the Trees of the Waterfront Promenade and Sugar Beach:

Sugar Beach from a distance:

Looking decent above, I recall noting a few dead trees here last year, and we will see below that these have been replaced with new trees:

One more of the Beach, very well patronized on May 26, 2024:

Now moving on to the Promenade:

^^^ broadly healthier than last year, and looking good at a distance, but there are still problems:

The above tree is clearly very stressed, I would be inclined to write it off as a goner. Its not the only one. I made note of probably a dozen trees in need of replacement, while several more are stressed but might recover.

They've done far fewer replacements on the promenade as compared with Sugar Beach............but this one caught my eye:

I think this is the first tree on the promenade itself not to be an Acer Freeman. This is an Oak tree. I wonder if the decision has been taken to break up the monoculture.

 

[DavidCapizzano]

These trees on Harbour seem to be doing very well

 

[Northern Light]

These trees on Harbour seem to be doing very well

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Yup, they're looking pretty good, they've got a good amount of soil. Look to be mostly Elms. Hopefully DED-resistent.

 

[lenaitch]

Yup, they're looking pretty good, they've got a good amount of soil. Look to be mostly Elms. Hopefully DED-resistent.

Has there been any active advancements on DED? I know UGuelph was doing some genetic research a number of years ago. If I recall, they were looking for reasons why some trees made it through their 'teenage years' without succumbing.

 

[Northern Light]

Has there been any active advancements on DED?

In respect of hybrids w/Japanese Elms, etc. creating different cultivars, there are some fairly resistant trees which is what you're usually seeing planted as street trees in Toronto.

Valley Forge Elm is a common one, Accolade is another.

The selection of 'pure' Elms that have elevated resistance is still fairly limited.

Princeton Elm has some elevated level of resistance and you will see it planted here, but its nothing miraculous.

I know UGuelph was doing some genetic research a number of years ago. If I recall, they were looking for reasons why some trees made it through their 'teenage years' without succumbing.

The UGuelph project is ongoing an update from 2023 can be found here:

Elm Recovery Project legacy lives on at the Guelph Arboretum

In 1998, seeing the devastating effects of Dutch elm disease, Henry Kock created the Elm Recovery Project, which others have continued

www.guelphtoday.com

Its still quite a way from producing Elms for the commercial market.

 

[Michael Sgambelluri]

Went out for a nature walk in Centennial Park in Etobicoke today. Strayed off the footpath into a heavily wooded area on the SW corner of the park, near Mill and Rathburn Roads. To my complete surprise, I came across a patch of maybe eight pawpaw seeding/saplings. This is the first time I've encountered what appears to be natural growing pawpaws in Toronto (I have seen planted pawpaws in parks in Toronto, three near Humber College Lakeshore campus for eg). I was sure my eyes were deceiving me until I saw the remnants of one of the pawpaw's most distinct features, a burgundy flower hanging from one of the sapling's branches.

I took some photos. I had read that pawpaws used to be an occasional occurrence in Toronto and then became extirpated with urban development. Maybe this is the beginning of a reemergence.