Work to fix Ottawa's urban forest is falling short, committee warned

The city's plan to get more trees in the ground is behind schedule, inadequately funded and failing to meet the urgency of the moment after years of exceptional storm damage, critics told Ottawa's environment committee this week.

"We are actually very worried, because we see this update as a significant scaling back in ambition for our urban forest," said Angela Keller-Herzog, executive director of CAFES Ottawa, a network of local environment advocates, during a committee update this week on the city's urban forest management plan.

Ottawa wants 40 per cent of its land covered with trees, with no net loss to canopy. Tree canopy was last measured at 31 per cent in 2017, but that was before several tornadoes, last year's incredibly destructive derecho windstorm and the ice storm this spring.

Residents will learn more about the extent of the damage when another canopy assessment is released later this year, or possibly in January 2024. That won't include the ice storm damage or a clearcut at the future suburb of Tewin.

Get real on extreme weather, advocate urges

In a report, senior forester Martha Copestake said the first phase of the urban forest management plan was hampered by months of recovery after the severe storms, delaying such things as a tree-planting strategy, outreach and engagement and a pest and disease management strategy.

William van Geest, a program co-ordinator at Ecology Ottawa, said he didn't think the storm excuse was valid. The community has known for some time about climate change bringing more powerful and more frequent storms, he said.

"The city should not treat such events as an exception, but as a reality," he said, adding the city should set aside money to ensure there are no further delays.

The second phase of the city's plan will focus on tree planting, tree maintenance and community outreach and engagement, according to the report.

Forestry is shifting to proactive tree-planting — identifying places in need of trees and prioritizing them instead of waiting for residents to sign up for trees through the little-known Trees in Trust program.

That will include new programs for backyard and private property planting programs and incentives, and depaving areas where trees are needed, according to the report.

The strategy will align with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe's campaign promise to get one million trees planted.

Funding insufficient, vice-chair says

Public Works asked for $250,000 of its budget to be moved around to hire two full-time staff to better manage the workload, as a starting point.

That request was carried and will go to council for approval, but committee members and environmental advocates didn't think it was enough.

"We really haven't expanded the resources that are available. And I think in reviewing the report today ... we see exactly what happens when the staffing plan does not meet the work plan," said Coun. Marty Carr.

The forestry budget increased by 3.5 per cent from last year, to a little over $27 million, which Keller-Herzog called "very under-resourced."

In comparison, the city's entire operating budget increased by about nine per cent from 2022, and Canada's rate of inflation from over the past year was 4.4 per cent.

A motion from Carr was carried directing staff to fully cost the plan, estimate how many full-time staff would be needed to actually see it done, provide scenarios and timelines based on resource availability, and report back to committee.

It will go to full council for approval on June 28.