Trees don’t just help a city look nice.
Thunder Bay’s urban forest, which includes an estimated 15,000 trees, reduces runoff into the sewers, helps air quality and can even cut heating and cooling costs.
The city thinks it gets about $1.5 million every year from tree benefits.
But due to liability, it’s had to remove a lot of those trees. The city has even cut down more trees than it has planted throughout the last five years.
The Urban Forest Plan is a way to help that problem.
Everything from a 10-year pruning plan to staff training is outlined in the plan.
Planting new trees is only five per cent of the work, said city forester Shelley Vescio.
“If you plant trees and walk away the chances of success are really low, so we have to maintain them.”
The city is holding two open houses on its forest plan. The first goes until 8 p.m. Wednesday at the West Thunder Community Centre.
The next open house is schooled for Thursday at the Oliver Road Community Centre. It starts at 4 p.m.
“Public trees belong to the public so we want them to be part of the process,” Vescio said.
