September 21st, 2023
Request for Input! A Proposed Amendment to streamline the City of Ottawa’s Tree Protection By-law
In June 2022, Council directed staff to consult with the public on amending the Tree Protection By-law to reduce the size of Distinctive Trees in the suburban area of Ottawa from 50 to 30 cm in diameter measured at breast height. This change would bring the tree by-law permitting rules for the suburbs in line with those for the inner urban area of Ottawa.
We are requesting your input through a survey available on Engage Ottawa, which will be available until October 10, 2023.
For more information on the City’s Tree Protection By-law, please visit www.ottawa.ca/treebylaw.
Thank you in advance for your continued support and care of the City’s trees and forests!
Sample Tweets
Request for Input! A Proposed Amendment to streamline the City of Ottawa’s Tree Protection By-law
In June 2022, Council directed staff to consult with the public on amending the Tree Protection By-law to reduce the size of Distinctive Trees in the suburban area of Ottawa from 50 to 30 cm in diameter measured at breast height. This change would bring the tree by-law permitting rules for the suburbs in line with those for the inner urban area of Ottawa.
We are requesting your input through a survey available on Engage Ottawa, which will be available until October 10, 2023.
For more information on the City’s Tree Protection By-law, please visit www.ottawa.ca/treebylaw.
Thank you in advance for your continued support and care of the City’s trees and forests!
Sample Tweets
- @ottawacity is looking for your input on streamlining the provisions for Distinctive Trees in the Tree Protection By-law! Learn more about the City’s Tree Protection By-law, take the survey, and share widely: https://engage.ottawa.ca/tree-protection-by-law-amendment
August 17, 2022
Update on Deevy Pine Park tree removal
Information on tree removal work that Forestry will be overseeing within Deevy Pines Park. Due to storm damage, Forestry oversaw hazardous tree removals with large scale equipment within the northeast area of the woodlot a few weeks ago but had designated the southeast area for Forestry Operations to complete the work. As Forestry Operations is still responding to storm damage notifications and would not be likely to complete the removals within the near future, we will continue using the large scale contractor. Operations should be completed within 3 to 5 days. Attached is an image showing the work area. Please note, the removals are selective only and most of the trees in the area highlighted will remain intact.
Update on Deevy Pine Park tree removal
Information on tree removal work that Forestry will be overseeing within Deevy Pines Park. Due to storm damage, Forestry oversaw hazardous tree removals with large scale equipment within the northeast area of the woodlot a few weeks ago but had designated the southeast area for Forestry Operations to complete the work. As Forestry Operations is still responding to storm damage notifications and would not be likely to complete the removals within the near future, we will continue using the large scale contractor. Operations should be completed within 3 to 5 days. Attached is an image showing the work area. Please note, the removals are selective only and most of the trees in the area highlighted will remain intact.
August 15, 2022
I would like to take this opportunity to update you on the Hazeldean Woods clean up. I took the last 24 hrs to investigate the issue further, as I too was surprised at the number of trees that were removed from the site and share your concerns and frustrations of losing a big part of such a beautiful forest in our community. The Forestry Dept. assured me that this work was necessary and I’ve included the response from Forestry below. I will continue to monitor this issue and ensure that all further actions regarding our community’s unique forests are tackled with the care they deserve.
I also want to take a moment to respond to some inquiries I’ve seen online about whether the clearing was due to development plans. I can confidently say that this is 100% not the case and no development will be done in this area as the forest has a water reservoir underneath it.
The Forestry Dept. has sent the below photos and update regarding the work being done in the Hazeldean Woods.
You will be fully aware of the recent storm events throughout the Ottawa area, and the impacts that the event had on trees and forests. In Hazeldean Woods the storm led to a large number of trees being snapped off, blown over, or tipped over at the roots. Notably there was a large area to the southwest part of the park where there was a large windthrown area. With the exception of the odd tree here and there (that were uncut and still there) virtually all the trees were blown over to some degree.
The decision to take the tree removal operations in this park were done for the following reasons:
1.Public safety. This was the removal of trees that were precarious and that posed a potential risk to the public. This included a number of trees that had not entirely fallen over, but their roots had become dislodged and the root plate was lifted on one side. Even though still standing (and seemingly healthy) these trees are particularly susceptible to future wind, rainfall, snow and ice events.
2.Access. All the trails throughout the park were inaccessible due to fallen trees and at the end of the operation trail access will be restored to its original state.
3.Regenerating the forest. In the southwest part of the park that had a large area of windthrown cedar, the plan is to remove the windthrown trees, site prepare the area and plant it with a variety of tree species to regenerate it to forest once again.
I’ll also send you the Deevy Pines one too if you want for the website. Let me know if you want Deevy Pines pictures as well.
I wanted to take this opportunity to make the community aware that the city’s forestry department will be starting the cleanup of Deevy Pines. I have spoken to the department at length, and they have assured me that all this clearing is necessary.
Here are a few key points about this project directly from the experts on city staff:
1) This clearing will not be the to the same scale as the Hazeldean Woods clean up. It’s 50% smaller and will use smaller machinery as well.
2) It’s approximately 100 trees they must clear from two main sections of damaged forest.
3) There will be a replanting of the area though schedule still needs to be finalized.
4) They’re trying to keep it to approximately 4-5 business days of work, but it depends on the work that needs to be done after a final review onsite and the weather.
They wanted people to know that they are doing the best they can, they have the public’s safety in mind and they are thinking proactively to rebuild and get the forest back to what it was.
I would like to take this opportunity to update you on the Hazeldean Woods clean up. I took the last 24 hrs to investigate the issue further, as I too was surprised at the number of trees that were removed from the site and share your concerns and frustrations of losing a big part of such a beautiful forest in our community. The Forestry Dept. assured me that this work was necessary and I’ve included the response from Forestry below. I will continue to monitor this issue and ensure that all further actions regarding our community’s unique forests are tackled with the care they deserve.
I also want to take a moment to respond to some inquiries I’ve seen online about whether the clearing was due to development plans. I can confidently say that this is 100% not the case and no development will be done in this area as the forest has a water reservoir underneath it.
The Forestry Dept. has sent the below photos and update regarding the work being done in the Hazeldean Woods.
You will be fully aware of the recent storm events throughout the Ottawa area, and the impacts that the event had on trees and forests. In Hazeldean Woods the storm led to a large number of trees being snapped off, blown over, or tipped over at the roots. Notably there was a large area to the southwest part of the park where there was a large windthrown area. With the exception of the odd tree here and there (that were uncut and still there) virtually all the trees were blown over to some degree.
The decision to take the tree removal operations in this park were done for the following reasons:
1.Public safety. This was the removal of trees that were precarious and that posed a potential risk to the public. This included a number of trees that had not entirely fallen over, but their roots had become dislodged and the root plate was lifted on one side. Even though still standing (and seemingly healthy) these trees are particularly susceptible to future wind, rainfall, snow and ice events.
2.Access. All the trails throughout the park were inaccessible due to fallen trees and at the end of the operation trail access will be restored to its original state.
3.Regenerating the forest. In the southwest part of the park that had a large area of windthrown cedar, the plan is to remove the windthrown trees, site prepare the area and plant it with a variety of tree species to regenerate it to forest once again.
I’ll also send you the Deevy Pines one too if you want for the website. Let me know if you want Deevy Pines pictures as well.
I wanted to take this opportunity to make the community aware that the city’s forestry department will be starting the cleanup of Deevy Pines. I have spoken to the department at length, and they have assured me that all this clearing is necessary.
Here are a few key points about this project directly from the experts on city staff:
1) This clearing will not be the to the same scale as the Hazeldean Woods clean up. It’s 50% smaller and will use smaller machinery as well.
2) It’s approximately 100 trees they must clear from two main sections of damaged forest.
3) There will be a replanting of the area though schedule still needs to be finalized.
4) They’re trying to keep it to approximately 4-5 business days of work, but it depends on the work that needs to be done after a final review onsite and the weather.
They wanted people to know that they are doing the best they can, they have the public’s safety in mind and they are thinking proactively to rebuild and get the forest back to what it was.
July 19, 2022
Work in Deevy Pines Woods
You will see some work being done in Deevy Pines Park this summer. Removal of storm damaged trees and debris is planned to clean up the area after the large storm we had. The work will involve some large equipment (attached is a rough map of the removal areas) however, only the damaged/hazardous trees are to be removed within these areas. The current plan is to replant trees in the park in the fall 2023 but we will have more information to provide with regards to planting once the site preparation work has been completed.
Work in Deevy Pines Woods
You will see some work being done in Deevy Pines Park this summer. Removal of storm damaged trees and debris is planned to clean up the area after the large storm we had. The work will involve some large equipment (attached is a rough map of the removal areas) however, only the damaged/hazardous trees are to be removed within these areas. The current plan is to replant trees in the park in the fall 2023 but we will have more information to provide with regards to planting once the site preparation work has been completed.