Urban Forest (November 17, 2020)
What is the Urban Forest? According to Edmonton’s Urban Management Plan, urban forest refers to the “trees located within city limits, whether planted or naturally occurring. Trees found in parks, natural/naturalized areas, the river valley, ravines, roadways, private yards, roof tops, commercial and industrial lands are all part of the urban forest.”
Not only do urban forests provide beautiful scenery, they also provide environmental, ecological, economic and social benefits to the city such as improving our air quality, keeping soil from eroding, reducing energy consumption, conserving water resources, etc. However, it seems as if the ecological benefits of the City’s efforts in protecting, maintaining, and expanding the urban forest are rarely seen, especially when the urban forests are located on private property.
The role of private property owners cannot be underestimated as a large part of being able to effectively protect and manage urban forests depends on the cooperation of communities. One of the guiding principles of Edmonton’s Urban Management Plan is to involve the community in the protection and management of the urban forest. Educating the community helps residents understand their role in helping Edmonton’s urban forest and creates a sense of ownership and pride. Furthermore, a significant percentage of trees (nearly 45%) are located on private property in residential and business areas, so they are important partners in the development and health of the urban forest.
Edmonton has landscaping requirements for low density residential developments in order to preserve and improve the environmental quality and biodiversity of the city. Trees are important because they filter air, enhance biodiversity, and aid in water conservation. Mature trees are especially important as they typically form a connected urban canopy with other mature trees, which is a more attractive habitat for animals and insects than isolated young trees. Shrubs are also an essential component of environmental quality as they create an understory that is critical for the health of trees above by protecting the base of the tree; fertilizing and recycling nutrients into the ground; and providing a habitat for smaller animals and insects.
Edmonton’s Zoning Bylaw requires homeowners to landscape within 18 months of occupancy, and they must plant trees and shrubs according to Table 1. A certain number of trees and shrubs is required depending on the zoning of a property, but the location of the trees and shrubs is up to the discretion of the homeowner no matter the zone. Because the location of the trees and shrubs are decided by the homeowner, they often choose the location based on aesthetics rather than function and this can be seen in any neighbourhood in Edmonton. Take Figure 1 for example, a house in Bonnie Doon with a beautiful front yard. Like many other single detached homes in Edmonton, it has a meticulously groomed lawn of grass with the occasional tree or bush for aesthetic value. The shrubs on the left of the property are being used to separate their property from their neighbours rather than as an under-story for a tree. There is only a single tree on the right side of the front yard rather than a series of trees to provide a connected canopy for animals and insects.
Table 1 - Tree and shrub requirements
Table 2 - Minimum size required to receive credit for one or two new trees
Figure 1 - Front yard of a house in Bonnie Doon
Another measure the City has taken to further improve environmental quality and biodiversity involves an incentive program that encourages homeowners to retain any mature trees on their property. With this program, any new development can receive credits for their tree requirements if they preserve mature trees. However, like the location of trees and shrubs, the removal of mature trees is ultimately up to the homeowner. Again, the decision of retaining a mature tree depends on whether or not that tree fits with the homeowner’s vision of their yard, aesthetics trumps ecological considerations.
Should the City be more strict in their landscaping regulations regarding the maintenance of the urban forest on private lands to ensure the ecological benefits of urban forests? I would say so, but whether or not that is possible is another matter entirely. People do not often like being told what to do: they may be willing to concede to, and even agree with, regulations requiring a certain number of trees and shrubs but controlling the location of trees and shrubs and preserving mature trees regardless of the homeowner’s opinion may be too restrictive for many.
References
Edmonton’s environmental strategic plan “The Way We Green”
https://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/PDF/Urban_Forest_Management_Plan.pdf
-Written by Krystalynn Chan (2020)