Windsor, Ont., takes tree planting requests online — 1,400 expected in the ground this spring
Windsor is accepting tree planting requests via an online application process.
According to the city's head forester, as of earlier this year, residents can apply for trees to be planted on the municipally-owned portion of their properties — otherwise known as a public right of way.
Yemi Adeyeye says trees are planted twice a year in Windsor — totalling around 3,000. This spring, around 1,400 are expected to go into the ground. A second wave of planting takes place in October and November, he said.
Yemi Adeyeye is the city of Windsor's forester. (CBC)
In 2020, the city's own tree assessment put its urban canopy cover around 19 per cent.
The portal will ask for things like contact information and additional comments about your request. Calling Windsor's 311 service is also still an option.
"One of the things we may do is send some of our staff to your address, and then to drive around your block and see other areas, as well as how many trees," said Adeyeye.
"The reason is to see if it's logistical for us to do that ... to plant it and to get a watering program."
Tree equity considered
After the property and neighbourhood have been scoped out, Adeyeye says tree equity across the city is also strongly considered.
"We have our eyes where we can tell where all our city trees are. And there is, of course, an uneven distribution of those trees across the city."
"Part of our project is to make sure that these different parts of the cities that may have less trees, get new trees, basically to sort of even up things."
Windsor's head municipal forester says roughly 1,400 new trees will be planted in neighbourhoods this spring. (Chris Ensing/CBC)
This spring's planting season is spread out across different parts of Windsor, according to Adeyeye.
"Condensed in some particular area across north, south, east, west of the city."
He said, it's basically impossible to get to all of the streets that need additional tree coverage at once so they value areas with very low counts and to residents who really want them.
What trees get planted?
City planted trees in Windsor are characterised as native, Carolinian and climate appropriate.
For the spring planting season, the following trees will be planted:
Black Maple
Swamp White Oak
Chinquapin Oak
Kentucky Coffee Tree
Tulip
Redbud
Red Maple
Sweet Gum
Ginkgo
River Birch
Columnar English Oak
At the time of planting, the trees are about 50 millimetre caliper size.
If the trees are well tended to — by watering, mulching and pruning — Adeyeye says they can grow for more than 100 years, with varying sizes depending on tree species.
"Trees that would be able to … mature enough to be easily established within our urban centres and also strong enough to withstand wind or some kind of environmental challenges they might confront."
If they are too small, he says, they might break — because of the weather, rodents or pests.
