CITY OF BRAMPTON COMMUNITY FOREST

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2007

Banners along the Etobicoke trail ( in Elgin Park ) descrbing the project and thanking community and corporate sponsors and volunteers

Planting of a 7" diameter Oak tree donated by Trees Canada
and Trees Ontario

 

Representative of Trees Canada, Trees Ontario, Toronto Region Conservation Authority( TRCA ) and
City of Brampton Council members

Staff members and students from W.G. Davis public school

Members of City of Brampton Council, Trees Canada, Trees Ontario, T.R.C.A, Doug is in back row 2nd from right

 

City Parks and Recreation staff and community volunteer

Concept plan of Etobicoke Creek Habitat Enhancement plan

 

Brampton Launches Community                          Forest Project BRAMPTON - In keeping with Brampton’s Flower City status, the City of Brampton today launched a new Community Forest project in the Elgin Woods Park. Working with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), the City of Brampton is transforming Elgin Woods Park into a lush urban forest. To launch the project, students from W. G. Davis School, members of the City Council and representatives from TRCA, Trees Ontario and Tree Canada planted a number of saplings today. The project is part of Tree Canada’s Ontario Green Streets Program, and is supported by a grant of $20,000 from Trees Ontario. Located on the west side of Hurontario Street south of Elgin Drive, this five-hectare parkland will feature more than 35 species of trees, a vibrant garden with annuals and perennials, mulched trails, and boardwalks in some areas. The park will also be supported with signage and various information displays with the aim to educate the public and school groups about the various species of trees, plants and local flora. This is a multi-year project and is expected to grow and evolve over the years. “Brampton is a beautiful city and we want to ensure continuity by creating a healthy urban environment that will grow in the coming years and enrich the lives of our citizens,” commented City Councillor Sandra Hames. “We want the involvement of our community and business partners and to give them a sense of pride and achievement. This urban forest is for and by the people of Brampton.” “For over 50 years now, TRCA has been working with our local communities and municipal partners to protect our water resources and natural heritage. This Community Conservation Forest will reflect over 60 years of conservation in the Etobicoke watershed and, in addition to improving the urban forest, this initiative will serve as a local landmark and another fine example of what can be accomplished through partnerships such as this one,” said Gerri-Lynn O'Connor, Chair, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. “We applaud the City of Brampton's Community Conservation Forest initiative which beautifully demonstrates the importance of Canada's urban forests and reflects the objectives of our Green Streets Canada program," said Michael Rosen, President of Tree Canada. "Having just planted our 75th million tree, we congratulate partners like Trees Ontario, for getting us one step closer to our 100th million.” “We are very pleased to support the City of Brampton in this important urban forest project,” said Michael Scott, President and CEO of Trees Ontario. “This is a vital part of the work we are doing with tree planting partners across Ontario, to rebuild tree planting capacity, and replace aging forests. This past spring, more than three million trees were planted by our partners, and we are working hard with them to increase this number significantly over the next several years.” Backgrounder: Brampton’s Urban Forest Management Initiatives The City of Brampton recognized the need for a specialized urban forestry crew in the early 1980s and dedicated arborists were hired to help manage the City’s existing tree canopy. Over the years, the crew increased to include nine arborists, a forestry equipment specialist, two forestry forepersons and a supervisor. Growth in Brampton, combined with a renewed interest in dedicating more resources to maintain the City’s urban forest, resulted in an ambitious process of catching up on service request backlogs and moving toward the creation of an Urban Forest Management Plan that will proactively address the long-term health and sustainability of Brampton’s entire tree population. As a result, operational and strategic changes in 2006 led to in the following initiatives: An intensive Block Pruning Program to proactively address concerns in the field by pruning trees on entire streets or geographical areas to address existing or potential concerns. Improved inspection response times and increased customer satisfaction. Approval of a Tree Preservation By-law and increased public communication. In 2007, 1,500 caliper trees, 2,500 saplings, 20,000 shrubs and 10,000 perennials were planted in the naturalized areas in the city. Approximately 10,000 additional trees were planted in new developments around the City. Urban Forestry is currently developing a GIS/GPS tree inventory system that will eventually link with its Service requests, assisting in the streamlining of the Urban Forest Management program. Close co-ordination and cooperation with community partners such as the Brampton Horticultural Society and Friends of Claireville. The changes implemented to date and the Urban Forestry Section’s proposals for the future were strongly endorsed by this year’s Communities in Blooms judges who rated Brampton’s municipal forestry operation as one of the best in the City’s population category. Community Forest Partners Trees Ontario: Trees Ontario is a not-for-profit organization committed to the re-greening of Ontario through tree planting efforts on rural lands and in urban areas. The Trees Ontario Foundation (TOF) is a non-profit corporation established to promote and support tree-planting initiatives in Ontario through partnering with tree planting agencies. Trees Ontario encourages its partners to adopt these principles: To promote the use and application of scientifically based forestry practices for sound forest establishment and management. Pesticides will not be used unless necessary to ensure the survival of forests. To continue to establish and foster partnerships with agencies, associations and sponsors interested in the sustainable management of Ontario’s forests. To promote the importance of long-term planning to ensure the success of reforestation efforts. To promote forest establishment at a landscape level in order to maximize ecological and social benefits. To promote the use of native species appropriate for the site and local conditions. To promote the importance of species diversity in maintaining ecological processes. (www.treesontario.on.ca)   Tree Canada: The Tree Canada Foundation is a not-for-profit, charitable organization established in 1992. Under the direction of a 13-member volunteer Board of Directors, the Foundation provides education, technical assistance, resources and financial support through working partnerships to encourage Canadians to plant and care for trees in an effort to help reduce the harmful effects of carbon dioxide emissions. Its objectives are: Facilitate the planting and care of trees throughout urban and rural Canada; Educate Canadians about the benefits of planting and caring for trees; Assist interested parties in implementing a wide range of self-sustaining tree planting and educational initiatives; Encourage corporations, communities and individuals to participate in the program. (www.treecanada.ca)   Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA): Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s vision is for The Living City, a new kind of community where human settlement can flourish forever as part of nature’s beauty and diversity.  It has prepared and delivered programs for the management of the renewable natural resources within its watersheds. The TRCA provides: Protection, enhancement, and regeneration of natural resources on a watershed basis Sound environmental information and advice to promote good land management practices Community action on environmental projects Outdoor recreation opportunities on 13,000 hectares of open space, forest lands, and Conservation Areas Conservation education and heritage programs through our outreach education programs, residential and day-use Outdoor Education Centres and Black Creek Pioneer Village. (www.trca.on.ca)   About Brampton- Brampton was recognized in 2007 by the World Health Organization as an International Safe Community, the first in the GTA and one of only 10 cities in North America to receive this designation. With a diverse multicultural population representing more than 60 different cultures and 100 languages, the City is home to more than 8,000 businesses.  Brampton provides a variety of recreational programs and facilities, offering more parkland than any City in the province and is the first winner of the National Communities in Bloom Competition winning bragging rights to being “the Best Blooming Community in Canada”. For more information visit www.brampton.ca