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| Urban Tree Conservation By-law to help protect the city’s trees | | | | (June 30, 2009) - Ottawa is a wonderful city, and its greenspace and trees contribute greatly to its beauty. But trees aren’t just about beauty. Trees provide invaluable benefits and services within the city’s urban environment. Not only do they help save energy costs for homeowners, but they also clean our air by absorbing carbon dioxide and other particulate matter, help filter surface water and stop erosion, and increase property value. In addition, trees provide homes for wildlife, intercept rainfall and reduce run-off, provide shade and privacy, and provide effective insulation from noise. It’s for these reasons that Ottawa City Council recently adopted the Urban Tree Conservation By-law, which places restrictions on the cutting of trees on private property in urban Ottawa.The by-law, which was developed with the assistance of community associations, local environmental groups, Ottawa homebuilders, the City’s Forest and Greenspace Advisory Committee and the City’s Rural Affairs Office, was introduced to protect significant trees in the downtown core and to prevent the clear cutting of suburban forests. The by-law does not apply to normal farming practices, orchards, tree farms, golf courses and cemeteries anywhere in the city.Council has directed staff to report back to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee in the fall on the possibility of extending the by-law’s provisions to include Official Plan designated environmental areas, including Rural Natural Features, Natural Environment Areas and Provincially Significant Wetlands, that are located within one kilometre of the urban boundary.Effective immediately, owners of urban properties larger than one hectare are required to produce a City-approved tree conservation report in order to remove a tree with a trunk that is 10 centimetres or larger in diameter. As of September 1, owners of urban properties one hectare or less in size will be required to obtain a permit to remove a distinctive tree with a trunk that is more than 50 centimetres in diameter. The distinctive tree permit application will also have to be accompanied by an arborist’s report that outlines the reasons why the tree is being removed.Prior to the enactment of this by-law, the City had no process in place to prevent the clearing of forests in suburban areas before development occurred, nor could it regulate the cutting of large, distinctive trees that stand out in the city’s urban communities. Unauthorized removal or destruction of the trees covered under the by-law could result in fines ranging from $500 to $100,000, with the exception of the contravention of a stop work order, where the fine is not limited to $100,000. Ottawa isn’t the only city that has enacted an urban tree conservation by-law. Many other cities in Ontario, including Toronto, Kingston, Oakville and Mississauga, have implemented tree conservation by-laws for private properties. Other Canadian cities, such as Vancouver and Montréal, have also adopted tree protection by-laws and policies. And we can now add Ottawa’s name to this list.For more information on the Urban Tree Conservation By-law, visit ottawa.ca/urbantree or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). | | |
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