[CANUFNET] High density housing and tree planting

[Jeremy Gye]

Densification initiatives that don’t take account of green infrastructure
are making it more and more difficult to sustain our urban forests.  This
issue speaks strongly to the need to plan for adequate green space when new
urban development or conversion is being considered.  As Astrid’s post makes
clear, once the zoning and development permit guidelines for these areas are
enacted, our hands are tied.  A healthy city needs a diversity of treed
environments across the entire urban landscape to realize the benefit
potential of its urban forest.   As arborists and foresters, we need to help
our communities and local government think through what kind of treed
environments are best suited to different urban settings or land-uses and
how much canopy cover we need to optimize green infrastructure and other
benefits from the urban forest.  These are value-based choices that need the
support of the public and that must be codified in local neighbourhood and
official community plans.  Once the community and civic leaders are on-side,
we can work with urban planners to ensure that adequate space is provided to
grow and sustain our urban forests.  As Ian suggests in his response to
Astrid’s post, integrated strategies that include private as well as public
lands need to be explored.

Jeremy Gye

Gye and Associates Ltd


Consultants in Urban Forestry and Arboriculture

 

Office: (250) 544-1700

Fax: (250) 544-2059

Cell: (250) 883-4533

E-mail: jgye at shaw.ca

 

From: canufnet-bounces at list.web.net [mailto:canufnet-bounces at list.web.net]
On Behalf Of Nielsen, Astrid
Sent: April-08-11 8:37 AM
To: canufnet at list.web.net
Subject: [CANUFNET] High density housing and tree planting

 

Hi urban foresters,

 

With a mandate of intensification, our City of Ottawa planning department is
facing pressure to decrease the setbacks from home to the city right-of-ways
down to 3 m. This would mean that trees could be planted as close as 3.5 m
from the home, which could cause complications down the road from a tree
trimming perspective. Are other jurisdictions facing this same pressure, and
if so, how close to the homes are you allowing trees to be planted?

 

I would be interested to know if other jurisdictions have developed species
specific guidelines for how close trees can be planted to homes. Any
information on this would be very useful. Thanks!

 

 

Astrid Nielsen, RPF | Forester | Forestry Services | City of Ottawa | 
, 100 Constellation Ave. | Ottawa, Ontario, K2G 6J8| ( (613) 580-2400 x15258
| Fax: (613)580-2611  

 




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