Municipal Tree Inventory

On this page:
1. Project Updates
2. Volunteer

The Municipal Tree Inventory is focused on understanding the importance of the township’s urban canopy through data collection and responding with the appropriate management. A complete street tree inventory will assist in delivering upon Bold Actions 5 and 6 outlined in the Town’s Community Sustainability Plan, which will develop into managing urban trees as natural assets and the inclusion of them in a broader biodiversity strategy.

In conducting the municipality's first complete tree inventory, the Town can ensure a healthy community under increased development, a changing climate, and further the inclusion of trees in the decision-making process. Inventory data will help guide the Town of The Blue Mountain's tree nursery located at the Tomahawk Golf Course, ensuring a replacement program is established based on tree mortality projections.

Why Now?

Urban forests face numerous stressors and for them to be adaptable and more resilient, knowledge on their current condition is essential. The Municipal Tree Inventory is the first step towards proactive management so that the benefits of trees can be maximized to benefit our community.

Project Updates

October 20, 2023 - Fall update and next steps

The Town has spent the fall focusing on filling data gaps in Thornbury and Clarksburg prior to significant leaf fall. Additional training sessions will be organized for new volunteers in the spring of 2024, with the intention of completing a full baseline assessment of street trees throughout the municipality during the 2024 season.

The Municipal Tree Inventory is making significant progress in Clarksburg, Thornbury East, and Thornbury West, with upwards of 1,200 trees being entered into the database. Most of Swiss Meadows has been completed and will be finished upon addressing connectivity challenges delaying data entry.

The project has also seen the assistance of a generous group of volunteers taking the time to learn the inventory process. They are conducting measurements, assessing tree health, and potential tree conflicts with public infrastructure, which is providing valuable insight into the state of our urban forest.

The project is already showing the need for more proactive urban forest management. Numerous trees appear in need of tending and or replacement within the near future as they reach the end of their lifecycle. However, the community also has beautiful examples of healthy mature trees that we hope to protect and monitor with the tree inventory data.

The next steps for the project include the completion of data collection within Clarksburg and Thornbury, and ensuring volunteers are confident in doing data entry with minimal assistance going forward.

Volunteer

Interested in assisting within the Municipal Tree Inventory project that aims to increase the consideration of the the Town's urban forest? We are currently looking for volunteers passionate about making a meaningful difference within their community to assist in the collection of tree inventory data. We hope to forage a strong sense of community through this project and to make it a positive experience! Subscribe for updates using the link below.

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