[CANUFNET] Heritage Trees

[Ontario Urban Forest Council]

Hello,

I am reaching out on behalf of the Ontario Urban Forest Council, to provide
an update on the Ontario Heritage Tree Recognition program and initiative
that we deliver in partnership with Forests Ontario.

Since its inception in the early 2000s, the Heritage Tree Recognition
program has been instrumental in preserving and celebrating Ontario's
remarkable urban forest heritage. Through collaborative efforts, the OUFC
has worked tirelessly alongside various partners to deliver this
initiative, fostering a culture of appreciation and stewardship for our
province's most significant trees.

Over the years, the Heritage Tree Recognition program has seen the
dedicated involvement of numerous individuals who have contributed to its
success. From its development in the early 2000s to its collaborative
delivery since 2009, the program owes much of its achievements to the
unwavering commitment of individuals such as Barbara Heindrich, Peter
Wynnyczuk, Jack Radecki, Adrina Bardekjian, Toni Ellis, Edith George, Rob
Keen, Allison Hands, John Barker, Kyle Berwick, and countless others.

However, it is with a heavy heart that I must convey the news that, due to
resource constraints, we have made the difficult decision to place the
Heritage Tree Recognition program on hiatus for all new applicants. This
decision was not made lightly, but rather out of necessity as we navigate
the current financial landscape.

Despite this setback, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the
program's ideals. We are actively exploring avenues to secure adequate or
longer-term financial support to revive and sustain this vital initiative.

You can support our cause by becoming a member of the Ontario Urban Forest
Council by visiting www.oufc.org or by considering sponsorship
opportunities. Your support will not only help us overcome these challenges
but also ensure the continued success of programs like the Heritage Tree
Recognition initiative along other important programs we also deliver.

On behalf of the Ontario Urban Forest Council, I want to express our
heartfelt gratitude to all past and present individuals who have played a
role in the development and implementation of the Heritage Tree Recognition
program. Your dedication and passion have left an indelible mark on
Ontario's urban forest landscape, and we are immensely grateful for your
contributions.

Thank you for your understanding, support, and continued commitment to
Ontario's urban forest.

Warm regards,

Jade Schofield

Jade Schofield
President,

info at oufc.org


On Wed, Apr 17, 2024 at 12:18 PM Peter Wynnyczuk via CANUFNET <
canufnet at list.web.net> wrote:

>
> Further to the question posed.
>
> There is a book used to hep define heritage trees published by the Ontario
> Urban Forest Council that was used for the Forest Ontario/Ontario Urban
> Forest Council  program to help provide guidelines for the information
> needed to designate a heritage tree.
>
>  In the City of Toronto example, it would be Council that would have to
> authorize the removal in my understanding, not staff.
>
> Respecting Municipal bylaws and Heritage trees you have to be prepared to
> justify the reason for the designation, rest of the property deemed
> heritage,  and what conditions are placed for maintenance, care and
> retention steps.
>
> As we are dealing with a living entity, and the prevalence of unusual
> weather events, care and monitoring are key after designation. Can the
> homeowner afford it?
>
>   If on public lands, does the municipality have the resources to maintain
> and care?
>
> Also another layer could be with a willing private owner to register the
> tree protection on title, which may be considered "baggage" on any sale of
> the lands, and would be open  to de-registration requests to be reviewed by
> the municipality.
>
> This would likely need a survey showing the tree and area of non
> disturbance to help protect the tree and rooting structure and maybe two
> page agreement.
>
>  Typically the Heritage Act has been the primary tool to help assign trees
> through this multiple layers approach starting with the municipality
> designation.
>
> If you want to discuss offline, please email.
>
> Regards,
>
> Peter Wynnyczuk
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> From: canufnet at list.web.net
> To: canufnet at list.web.net; uft at umass.edu Cc: asatel at ufis.ca
> Sent: Tuesday, April 16th 2024, 13:12
> Subject: Re: [CANUFNET] Heritage Trees
>
>
> Hi Mark,
>
>
>
> Interesting question.
>
>
>
> Just off the top of my head, I can’t recall any Ontario municipalities
> with a standalone “heritage tree by-law” except for the Town of Gananoque
> (By-law 2006-03), but it’s fairly weak and gives private landowners “the
> final say” when it comes to removal even of committee-designated Heritage
> Trees in the context of development.
>
>
>
> A number of other municipalities have provisions in their tree by-laws
> that list heritage designation (either under the *Heritage Act, *the
> Forests Ontario Heritage Trees Program, or the municipality’s own
> designation criteria/process) as potential grounds for permit refusal if
> the tree would otherwise be subject to a tree removal/injury permit (by
> virtue of DBH or whatever other regulating factors).
>
>
>
> For example, Toronto’s private tree by-law allows for the refusal of a
> permit for a designated heritage tree or a tree that the general manager
> thinks *should* be designated:
>
>
>
> *“813-8. Review of applications; criteria.*
>
>
>
> *The General Manager shall consider the following criteria prior to
> issuing or refusing to issue a*
>
> *Permit:*
>
> *…*
>
> *K. Whether or not a tree is a heritage tree or should be protected as a
> heritage tree.”*
>
>
>
> I’m not sure how often that particular discretion is exercised, but as
> written it’s fairly wide open to provide grounds for protection (by way of
> refusal to issue a permit). I’d say that’s pretty good.
>
>
>
> A quick search suggests related provisions in by-laws in Barrie, Guelph,
> Mississauga, Niagara Region, and Oakville, among others.
>
>
>
> Given that the provisions are generally fairly similar across these
> by-laws in relation to heritage trees, it’s not clear what would make one
> by-law objectively better than another in this regard, other than
> enforcement/implementation and educating residents about the importance of
> heritage trees and the existence of said by-law.
>
>
>
> Hope this helps.
>
>
>
> --Alex
>
>
>
> *Alexander Satel, MFC*
>
> *Urban forestry and arboricultural consultant*
>
> *ISA Certified Arborist ON-1353A*
>
> *ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified (TRAQ)*
>
>
> Urban Forest Innovations, Inc.
>
> 1331 Northaven Drive
>
> Mississauga, ON L5G 4E8
>
> T: (905) 274-1022
>
> *asatel at ufis.ca <asatel at ufis.ca>*
> *urbanforestinnovations.com <http://urbanforestinnovations.com>*
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* CANUFNET <canufnet-bounces at list.web.net> *On Behalf Of *Mark
> Carroll via CANUFNET
> *Sent:* Tuesday, April 16, 2024 10:56 AM
> *To:* UMass Extension (Dr. Rick Harper Urban Forestry Today) <
> uft at umass.edu>; Canadian Urban Forest Network <canufnet at list.web.net>
> *Cc:* Mark Carroll <environment1st at rogers.com>
> *Subject:* [CANUFNET] Heritage Trees
>
>
>
> Good day to all
>
>
>
> This is where we are with developing a heritage tree bylaw.
>
>
>
>
>
> "Developing a heritage tree bylaw or policy is a great initiative for
> preserving the natural heritage of your town. While the Ontario Heritage
> Act provides a framework for heritage preservation, creating additional
> measures specific to trees can further enhance conservation efforts. Here
> are some suggestions and examples you might find helpful:
>
>    1. *Research Existing Policies*: Look into other municipalities in
>    Ontario or even beyond that have implemented successful heritage tree
>    bylaws or policies. Some examples include Toronto's Significant Tree Bylaw
>    and Vancouver's Heritage Trees Program. Analyze their frameworks, criteria
>    for designation, and enforcement mechanisms to glean insights for your own
>    policy.
>
>
>    1. *Define Criteria for Designation*: Establish clear criteria for
>    designating heritage trees, considering factors such as age, size, rarity,
>    historical significance, cultural importance, and ecological value. This
>    ensures that only trees meeting specific criteria receive protection.
>    *"*
>
>
>
> I am looking for anyone or City or Town that might have a good heritage
> tree bylaw or policy. I am looking to develop one for a small Town in
> Ontario. We want it to go above and beyond the Ontario Heritage Act or
> designation. If anyone knows of some good wording or examples that will
> preserve some of the more recognized or larger trees within a municipality.
>
>
>
> Thank you for your attention to this request,
>
>
>
> *Mark Carroll*
>
> *ISA Certified Arborist*
>
> *Municipal Consultant*
>
> *Certified Soil Biologist*
>
>
>
> *Dirt to Soil Inc.*
>
> *Biological Solutions to Growing and Caring For Plants*
>
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>
>
>
>
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