Commercial Trees: Sustaining the Urban Canopy through Maintenance, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Commercial Trees:

Sustaining the Urban Canopy through Maintenance, Co- Operation and Understanding

Introduction: Who are we?

Urban Forestry Operations, Commercial Trees

• We plant and maintain City-
• wned trees in hard surfaces:

tree pits, raised beds, containers and continuous soil trenches on paved boulevards

• We primarily work in

commercial zones, including 82 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs)

Our jobs include:

• Planting
• Watering
• Mulching
• Pruning
• General Tree care

And…

• Removing stems and root

masses using hydro vac excavation to replace trees

And…

• Installing, maintaining,

replacing, removing, restoring various components of tree planting infrastructure

…all of which requires:

• Co-ordination with a wide

range of stakeholders: BIAs, City Divisions, the Public, Contractors, City Council, Utility Companies

Our role in the Urban Forest

• After design and construction of

tree infrastructure are complete, it is our job to help trees in hard surfaces grow to maturity

• Tree survival, health and

longevity depend on ongoing maintenance

• In partnership with businesses

and residents, we protect tree infrastructure investments

• The future of Toronto’s hard

surface tree canopy is in our hands

Our Workload

• Commercial Trees is responsible for approximately 20,000 trees

City-wide in tree pits, raised beds and raised concrete containers

• Our group also maintains trees on traffic medians, in hard surface

urban parks, and other public spaces where trees are integrated with paving

• In 2016, 23,191 service requests were assigned to our group for

maintenance of trees and tree planting infrastructure

• We provide maintenance services for trees in the majority of

Toronto’s 82 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs)

• We play a key role in streetscape development projects, offering

input, oversight and maintenance services

Newly Planted Tree Care

• To sustain the urban forest,

caring for newly planted trees must be one of the City’s maintenance priorities

• Newly planted trees take

years to establish significant root systems

• Until trees establish strong

root systems, they rely on watering by maintenance staff in order to survive

Contending with Urban Stress

• Trees in hard surfaces face

many unique stress factors, which contribute to decline and mortality:

• Poor soils, compaction,

limited water, limited sunlight, pet waste, de-icing salts, utility conflicts and wind tunnels

• A common problem for hard

surface street trees is physical damage from bicycle locks, vehicles, vandalism and, in this case, a marketing sign

Infrastructure Challenges

• Commercial Trees deals with a

wide range of tree planting infrastructure developed at different points in time by private developers or through City projects

• Co-ordinating and

implementing maintenance solutions can be time and labour intensive

• Some issues can’t be resolved

without major construction

Maintenance Priorities

• The highest priority for

commercial tree maintenance is to mitigate and eliminate risks to public safety caused by damaged trees or damaged tree infrastructure

Routine Maintenance

• Routine maintenance such as

replacement planting, watering, mulching and pruning are planned according to seasonal factors, logistical efficiency and utility clearances

• Requests for maintenance of individual

trees may be grouped into maintenance for larger areas in order to efficiently address the high volume

• f service requests assigned to our

group

• Tree removal may be done in two

stages, with the majority of the tree being removed except for a 1.5 metre stem left as a visual indicator as well as to facilitate stump removal

The Urban Forest:

Valuable Resource and Living Legacy

Value of the Urban Forest

• Toronto boasts the largest number of

Business Improvement Areas in North America, and BIAs help make us one of the most liveable and economically important cities in the world

• Trees contribute to the beauty, character,

and unique identity of streets and neighbourhoods, making Toronto a more attractive place to live, work, play, visit, shop, dine and do business

• Trees also add significant value to the City

through environmental benefits and energy savings

• A TD Economics Special Report prepared in

2014 found that Toronto’s Urban Forest provides residents with over $80 million dollars in environmental benefits and cost savings

(From Urban Forests: The Value of Trees in the City

• f Toronto, prepared by TD Economics dated June

9, 2014, https://www.td.com/document/PDF/economics/s pecial/UrbanForests.pdf)

Legacy and Stewardship

• Many of Toronto’s street trees

have survived through decades

• f urban development as the City

has grown and neighbourhoods have evolved

• Trees are living legacies that

provide connections to our past, made possible through generations of stewardship by City staff, businesses and residents

• The small tree depicted here was

likely planted around the time the photo was taken in 1972 in front of the Riverboat Coffee House in Yorkville

(Toronto Star Archives, https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/07 /16/once-upon-a-city-yorkville-home-of- torontos-original-indie-music-scene.html)

Legacy and Stewardship cont…

• An image of the same

location in 2014 shows what appears to be the same tree in front of a new generation of buildings and storefronts

• Decades of care and

maintenance helped this tree survive and remain healthy

(Image is from google maps: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6705381,- 79.3941131,3a,75y,31.86h,110.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1 s-oBz5cSRLI_8LJ3yqWiPtw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1)

Legacy and Stewardship cont…

• An image of the same location

in 2016 shows another generation of development underway with the same tree fronting the property

• This long-lasting presence on

a changing streetscape is an example of the legacy our City can leave for future generations through proper care, respect and understanding of the urban forest

(Image is from google maps: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6705381,- 79.3941131,3a,75y,31.86h,110.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1 s-oBz5cSRLI_8LJ3yqWiPtw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1)

Hard Surface Street Tree Stakeholders:

Sustaining Our Canopy through Understanding and Co-operation

Landscaping, Décor and Lighting

• Decorative installations and

landscaping can enhance tree planting environments, provided that roles, responsibilities and guidelines are understood and agreed upon

• In some cases, added landscape

features compliment tree health and maintenance by reducing soil compaction, reducing trunk damage, mitigating tripping risks, and beautifying streetscapes to promote civic pride and respect for trees

Importance of Guidelines

• When proper guidelines are

not followed, decorative installations can damage trees and obstruct maintenance

• Decorative lighting that is

wrapped too tightly or not adjusted regularly can girdle trunks or branches, restricting water and nutrient flow, adding stress to trees that already face a range of urban pressures

Complying with City Standards

• The City of Toronto has

standard decorative tree lighting details available on the City’s website

• These details specify

annual adjustment, loose application of tape, and draping rather than wrapping wires around tree branches

Obtaining Approvals

• Landscaping and installations in

tree pits, beds and containers may require approvals from different City Divisions

• Transportation Services requires

permits for work taking place in public right of ways

• Locates from utility companies

may be required wherever excavation is involved

• Where tree roots, trunks, branches
• r growing conditions may be

adversely affected, a tree injury permit or written clearance may be required from Urban Forestry, Tree Protection and Plan Review

Letter of Understanding

Roles, Responsibilities and Guidelines

Roles, Responsibilities and Guidelines

• Urban Forestry is willing work with

BIAs to enhance hard surface tree planting and growing conditions

• Modifications to tree pits, beds or

containers should always be done in consultation with our group

• Urban Forestry, Commercial Trees,

requests that a Letter of Understanding be signed by the BIA Chair, and a motion approved at their board meeting, whenever landscaping, lighting or decorative installations are planned within hard surface tree pits, containers or raised beds

• The Letter will outline roles and

responsibilities of the BIA and the City, as well as guidelines to be followed

Key Points

• The key points of the Letter of Understanding are:
• BIAs and other work groups are responsible for obtaining all required approvals, locates and permits – the Letter does not replace
• ther approvals
• The City’s Decorative Tree Lighting Details must be followed; lighting must be adjusted annually
• BIAs will be responsible for maintaining decorative installations and landscape features identified in the Letter of Understanding
• When decorative lighting or other installations need to be removed for routine maintenance, the City will notify BIAs or other

stakeholders two months in advance of planned maintenance. The BIAs will be responsible for removing the lighting or other installations within this timeframe, and providing written confirmation that the items have been removed

• The City will make efforts to respect decorative installations and landscape features during the course of tree or tree infrastructure
• maintenance. However, the City will not be held responsible for any resulting damages to these items that occur despite our best

efforts

• The City reserves the right to remove any items from trees or tree planting infrastructure at any time if deemed necessary
• The primary purpose of tree planting infrastructure is to support tree growth. Under no circumstances can tree health or growing

conditions be compromised by proposed work

Conclusion

• Trees in hard surfaces face a wide range of

stress factors and rely on maintenance to survive and reach maturity

• Maintenance is made more effective and

efficient through communication and co-

• rdination among stakeholders
• Trees provide our City with a range of

ecological and economic benefits, and help make Toronto a great place to live, work, visit, shop, dine and do business

• City staff, businesses and residents together

are the stewards of Toronto’s urban forest, and trees are the legacy we will leave for future generations of Torontonians

• A sustainable urban canopy can only be

achieved when all stakeholders work together in co-operation and understanding

Photo is from google maps: https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6471371,- 79.3958392,3a,75y,201.01h,90.08t/data=!3m 6!1e1!3m4!1slyIsrd260W4wwsDT8cTIOA!2e0! 7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1