Q. What is tree risk?
A. Tree risk is the likelihood that a tree will fail, combined with the severity of consequences should the tree fail. Not all trees will cause injury or damage if they were to fail, which is why it is important to have a risk assessment completed for every tree.
Q. What is Tree Risk Management?
A. Tree risk management identifies, evaluates, mitigates, monitors, and communicates tree risk. The Natural Area Operations team manages tree risk along the trail networks, roadways, picnic sites, viewpoints, sports fields and property lines.
Q. Which trees will be removed?
A. Only trees that present a potential safety risk to the public or property will be managed. These assessments are completed by an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified and Tree Risk Assessment Qualified Arborist using the ISA’s Best Management Practices for Tree Risk Assessment. Please contact 311 if you see a potential safety hazard.
Q. How are trees assessed?
A. Trees are determined to be a potential safety risk when there are defects that may cause part or the entire tree to fall over a target zone. Where possible, these trees will be 'habitated'.
Q. What is habitated?
A. Habitating refers to removing hazardous portions of the tree, while leaving the rest of it intact to provide valuable habitat for wildlife. Depending on the current site conditions, the brush may be left evenly spread out on the forest floor, chipped and blown into the stand, or hauled off site.
Q. When will the work be done?
A. Tree work, such as pruning for deadwood, habitating, and removing trees, is completed year-round. Most tree work in natural areas is scheduled in the fall and early winter to lessen the impacts on any nesting wildlife. While tree work is in progress, best management practices for all wildlife are applied.
Q. Where will the work take place?
A. Natural Area Operations will be assessing the City’s natural areas along the trail networks, roadways, picnic sites, viewpoints, property lines and other target areas. The team will prioritize natural areas for work by compiling previous tree failure data, site assessments, and using the uPLVI (urban Primary Land and Vegetation Index) to identify natural areas that are reaching maturity when tree mortality is higher. Priority will be given to requests from residents. Information regarding site-specific plans will be shared with the appropriate Neighbourhood Resource Coordinator once the assessment for that area has been completed.
