As Edmontonians, we value and understand the importance of the city’s urban forest. The City understands the importance of these assets and works to maintain and grow the urban forest. With careful stewardship, these benefits can continue for generations, appreciating over time. Proper management is crucial for continuous growth and improvement of the urban forest.
Edmonton’s trees provide many environmental, ecological, economic, and social benefits. These include sequestering greenhouse gases, reducing damage from stormwater, providing wildlife habitat, reducing costs for winter heating and summer cooling, and promoting a sense of well-being and positive mental health!
Are you planning any construction or demolition work? Does this work require laydown sites or site access within 5 meters of any City-owned trees or 10 metres within a natural area? If you are coordinating any activities on or off City property that may have an impact on City trees, visit Trees and Construction to take the steps required to preserve and protect City trees.
The City manages all trees on public land. These trees are divided into three main categories:
- Boulevard & Open Spaces Trees:
- Trees growing on City-owned property such as boulevards, right-of-ways, and in parks except for trees in natural areas or in a naturalized site
- Naturalized:
- Naturalization is an ecological way of managing the landscape which transforms highly maintained land into a more natural state
- Certain areas of the city have been identified for naturalization and will no longer be mowed; this allows the grass to grow long and return to its natural habitat
- Within some naturalized areas, the City will plant native species of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers
- Natural Areas:
- Natural areas are largely dominated by native vegetation and are relatively undisturbed by human activity
- Such areas could include grasslands, forests, wetlands, peat lands, or riparian areas
- There are approximately 3,800 hectares of natural areas or 2,500 hectares of forested natural areas
