The city has set a goal of a 40% tree canopy (we are now at 28%) and has a robust plan for planting in public spaces. However, since there is a limited supply of public property, the city encourages the planting of young trees on private property.
Toronto’s urban forest is a vital asset with an estimated value of $7 billion. To read about the Toronto Parks and Forestry study ‘Every Tree Counts’ click here.
Davisville has a reasonable tree canopy compared to other parts of the city and we are particularly fortunate to have the arboretum at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery as part of our urban forest; however, severe weather (ice storm of 2015), insect damage (Emerald Ash Borer) and fungus infections (Dutch Elm Disease) take their toll. So, property owners need to continue planting young trees in preparation for the inevitable thinning of our current mature tree canopy.
The value of a tree canopy has been much under discussion recently, and most of us will have heard of the significant benefits that trees provide to cities, including cleaning the air, cooling neighbourhoods, conserving energy and increasing property values.
The most recent Canadian study published in this month’s issue of The Lancet Planetary claims that in addition to increasing mental health, a robust canopy also decreases the risk of premature death by 8-12%. You can read the Oct 11, 2017 article by Kevin Bissett by clicking here.