[CANUFNET] Tangible Capital Asset Registry - Reporting Trees and
Fisher, Brian
Brian.Fisher at bchydro.com
Tue Mar 25 13:16:49 EDT 2008
Amen to Mike's sentiments.
Further, as a capital asset, that appreciates, the inevitable capital
write off can be delayed.
One should be able to develop a "bell curve" model that requires certain
levels of maintenance
and planting funding in order to sustain the appreciation that will
inevitably be required to offset the
depreciation and the vagaries of sudden and catastrophic loss.
Brian Fisher B.A.
Certified Arborist - R.P.Biologist
c/o BC HYDRO 400 Madsen Road, Nanaimo, B.C. Canada, V9R 5K3
Phone: (250)-755-4722 Fax: (250) 755-4742
Brian.fisher @ bchydro.bc.ca
-----Original Message-----
From: canufnet-bounces at list.web.net
[mailto:canufnet-bounces at list.web.net] On Behalf Of Mike James
Sent: 2008, March 18 4:35 PM
To: canufnet at list.web.net
Subject: [CANUFNET] Tangible Capital Asset Registry - Reporting Trees
and
Re: Tangible Capital Asset Registry - Reporting Trees and
Urban Forest Assets
Open letter to Urban Foresters
It seems to me that this is a golden opportunity that should not be
allowed to pass. In the end power is all about who has the money and
Urban Forestry has traditionally never had the money or the power.
The Tangible Capital Asset Registry is an opportunity to change that.
Imagine if instead of the cost of planting trees being an on going
expense to the municipality, the cost was "capitalized" and shown on the
balance sheet as a municipal asset.
Then the Urban Forester would be a manager in charge of X million
dollars of assets that required a maintenance budget to preserve the
value of that asset - just like an engineer!
Even better - a proper economic model can be made that an urban forestry
asset, on the municipality's balance sheet, will appreciate instead of
depreciating like the engineer's assets.
Now you are in the position of asking for capital dollars to spend on
assets that will appreciate over time and increase the balance sheet of
the city and its credit rating...Furthermore, it puts you in a position
to demand that urban trees be planted properly so that they are able to
grow to maturity and realize their "full financial value"
I do not have to tell Urban Foresters that there are many resources to
put a financial value on urban trees that would meet the criteria of any
public sector accountant.
Pollution abatement, rainwater/stormwater management, heat island
cooling, increase in property values, increase in retail sales...
All of these are measurable - they just need to be pulled together in a
financial model/format for an accountant.
It is my proposal to the Urban Forestry community that you strike a
committee to come up with a standardized formula to value your urban
trees.
Then take this document to the PSAB and make a submission that not only
are urban forests municipal assets that have a quantifiable value - they
are in many cases some of the most valuable assets a city has.
Need some encouragement? Just go ask your CFO how he would feel about
adding X million dollars to his balance sheet with out spending a dime!
Mike James
-----Original Message-----
From: canufnet-bounces at list.web.net
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Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 6:22 AM
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Subject: CANUFNET Digest, Vol 40, Issue 7
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: " Gypsy Moth - Saturday March 15" - Actually the date is
Sat. April 5th Carol (JMCNEIL at oakville.ca)
2. Re: Tangible Capital Asset Registry - Reporting Trees and
Urban Forest Assets (pwynnyczuk at richmondhill.ca)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:37:31 -0400
From: JMCNEIL at oakville.ca
Subject: Re: [CANUFNET] " Gypsy Moth - Saturday March 15" - Actually
the date is Sat. April 5th Carol
To: HHuffman at oakville.ca
Cc: BBeesley at Oakville.ca, Peter Williams <forstar at execulink.com>,
CHudd at oakville.ca, Canadian Urban Forest Network
<canufnet at list.web.net>, "Dave \(MNR\) Boddington"
<dave.boddington at ontario.ca>, e.cass at oakville.ca,
j.phoenix at oakville.ca
Message-ID: <OFFFAC2F92.59FE173C-ON8525740F.0060D1A0 at oakville.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
My understanding is that you will:
Receive and record rsvp's
Make a sign up sheet
Order lunch and arrange for delivery at Central Ops. By 11:45am Arrange
the large boardroom and confirm with Ed keys to open and close our
building on Saturday, April 5th Order laptop and projector for Friday
April 4th and ask IT to set up and troubleshoot Pete will obtain 100
bags from Brenda and stuff them and distrbute them on the Oakville
Transit bus that Joanne is providing Lead the afternoon Workshop thru
Bronte Creek Park Anything else Pete?
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
----- Original Message -----
From: Heather Huffman
Sent: 03/10/2008 10:14 AM EDT
To: John McNeil
Cc: Carol Hudd
Subject: Re: " Gypsy Moth - Saturday March 15" - Actually the date
is Sat. April 5th Carol
Hi John,
Would you mind clarify for me and Carol which items you would like us to
take care of for Saturday, April 5th and which ones you wish for Peter
to
handle? Thanks
Heather Huffman
Supervisor of Office Services
Central Operations Facility
hhuffman at oakville.ca
Central Operations
1140 South Service Road West
Oakville, Ontario, L6L 5T7
Tel. (905) 845-6601, Ext: 3888
Fax: 905 338 4227
Mailing Address:
Town of Oakville
P.O. Box 310, 1225 Trafalgar Road
Oakville, Ontario, L6J 5A6
http://www.oakville.ca/
Privacy Statement:
This message, including any attachments, is intended only for the
person(s) named above. This material may contain privileged,
confidential or personal information which is subject to the provisions
of the Municipal Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act.
Any other distribution, copying or disclosure is strictly prohibited.
If you are not the intended recipient or have received this message in
error, please notify us immediately by telephone, fax or e-mail and
permanently delete the original transmission from us, including any
attachments, without making a copy.
John McNeil/Parks
and Open
Space/Oakville
To
Carol Hudd/Central Operations
03/06/2008 10:27 Public Works/Oakville at Oakville
AM
cc
Heather Huffman/Central
Operations
Public Works/Oakville at Oakville,
Ed
Cass/Central Operations Public
Works/Oakville at Oakville, "Philip
van Wassenaer"
<pwassenaer1022 at rogers.com>,
Brenda
Beesley/Communications/Oakville at Oak
ville
Subject
Re: " Gypsy Moth - Saturday March
15" - Actually the date is Sat.
April 5th Carol(Document link:
HEATHER HUFFMAN)
ok
Pete- will your staff please take care of this role for me please?
John McNeil, MBA, Registered Professional Forester, Certified
Arborist/Municipal Specialist Manager of Forestry & Cemetery Services
Parks & Open Space Department jmcneil at oakville.ca
? Urban Forestry is the Front Line of Defence against Global Climate
Change ?
Central Operations
1140 South Service Road West
Oakville, Ontario, L6L 5T7
Tel. (905) 845-6601, Ext: 3395
Mailing Address:
Town of Oakville
P.O. Box 310, 1225 Trafalgar Road
Oakville, Ontario, L6J 5A6
http://www.oakville.ca/
Carol
Hudd/Central
Operations Public
To
Works/Oakville John McNeil/Parks and Open
Space/Oakville at Oakville
03/06/2008 08:54
cc
AM Heather Huffman/Central
Operations
Public Works/Oakville at Oakville
Subject
Gypsy Moth - Saturday March 15
(Embedded
image moved (Embedded image moved to file: pic08683.jpg)
to file:
pic20215.jpg)
Hi, John:
I'm sorry that I will not be able to help you out on March 15th with the
Gypsy Moth event taking place at Central Operations/Bronte Provincial
Park.
When we were talking I didn't realize that the 15th was a Saturday, and
I
happen to have a family commitment that weekend. If you feel that a
'clerk' is required for that day we can try to accommodate you.
John, I will be happy to arrange for the delivery of food for you again
and this can be discussed early next week, when we know how many people
we might be expecting. The beverages can be ordered ahead of time as
well, but arrangements for the pick up of same will have to be sorted
out; Chris Vava did this for us last year.
Please let us know your thoughts.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Carol Hudd
Senior Stenographer
Roads and Works Operations
chudd at oakville.ca
Town of Oakville
1225 Trafalgar Road
Oakville, Ontario, L6J 5A6
Tel. (905) 845-6601, Ext: 3327
Fax: 905-338-4227
Mailing Address:
Town of Oakville
P.O. Box 310, 1225 Trafalgar Road
Oakville, Ontario, L6J 5A6
http://www.oakville.ca/
http://www.oakville.ca/privacy_statement.htm
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:04:48 -0400
From: pwynnyczuk at richmondhill.ca
Subject: Re: [CANUFNET] Tangible Capital Asset Registry - Reporting
Trees and Urban Forest Assets
To: Canadian Urban Forest Network <canufnet at list.web.net>
Message-ID:
<OF6B1E633B.058BB47C-ON8525740F.0046F020-8525740F.0047D5F3 at richmondhill.
ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hello Russell,
My understanding is that Trees are not going to be part of the process
as they do not have to be accounted as a tangible capital asset.
This is part of a project called PSAB 3150
If you can access this site http://www.amcto.com/home.asp
There is an interpretation from the Association in a newsletter within
the site.
I have been advised by our Finance Staff that we do not have to pursue
this.
Hope this helps
Regards,
Peter Wynnyczuk
"Friesen, Russell" <Russell.Friesen at calgary.ca> Sent by:
canufnet-bounces at list.web.net
03/14/2008 06:41 PM
Please respond to
Canadian Urban Forest Network <canufnet at list.web.net>
To
"Canadian Urban Forest Network" <canufnet at list.web.net> cc
Subject
[CANUFNET] Tangible Capital Asset Registry - Reporting Trees and Urban
Forest Assets
Tangible Capital Asset Registries are topic that has great implications
for municipal forestry operations across the country, but I am pretty
sure most CANUFNET subscribers have probably never even heard of it.
Around 2005, the Public Sector Accounting Board (PSAB) recommended that
governments including municipalities report "Tangible Capital Assets"
(TCA) on their balance sheets. In Alberta, this recommendation became
law and is now a legislative requirement commencing Jan. 1 2009. The
Province of Ontario also appears to have similar requirements, and many
municipalities in that jurisdiction are well on their way to reporting
TCA.
Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a standard practice or
consensus on how to report trees. The advice given by the PSAB isn't
specific and opinion from other sources is contradictory, ranging from
don't report the value of trees, to report the value of trees that were
planted with a purpose (like visual screening), to report the value
trees as if they were converted to pulp wood.
Most municipalities involved in building TCA registries have hired
consultants to aid with the developing the reporting process. In some
cases the same consultants have been hired by several municipalities,
but for ethical reasons the consultants can't share what one
municipality is doing with another municipality. All this results in a
dearth of guidance and information about how to report trees and the
urban forest in a Tangible Capital Asset Registry.
Therefore, I think that it is important for municipal foresters to share
with each other what they know about TCA registries, what their TCA will
report, how their reporting policy is worded and how they are going to
track, collect and manage their asset reporting in subsequent years. .
So now for my questions.
Which other municipalities are in the process of building their TCA?
How are you planning on reporting trees?
Have you tried to make the case that tree appreciate in value rather
than depreciate? ... and how did that go?
Are you using historic costs of acquisition (planting) for your starting
point and depreciating from there?
Are you reporting individual trees or lumping trees into a general
average land improvement value?
What is your useful lifespan for a tree?
How are you taking into account vintages?
And my final question, does anybody - anywhere, understand this?
Thank You
Russell Friesen
Urban Forestry Coordinator
City of Calgary Parks
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