Forest Management Strategy

Kingston's forest in 2045

• Trees and Urban Zoning Are Related

  by RobHarrap, 12 months ago
  How many people can walk to a small grocery store or coffee shop in 5 minutes or less? Ten?

  How many people can go a day without a car or transit?

  The streets we've built and the way we've zoned Kingston is in service to drivers and cars. There is an old joke/story I heard as an undergraduate that if aliens were to observe North American cities from afar they'd decide we were a society of vehicles with slaves that maintain their paths and gather their fuel.

  The spaces we want to green shouldn't be thought of as a few... Continue reading

  How many people can walk to a small grocery store or coffee shop in 5 minutes or less? Ten?

  How many people can go a day without a car or transit?

  The streets we've built and the way we've zoned Kingston is in service to drivers and cars. There is an old joke/story I heard as an undergraduate that if aliens were to observe North American cities from afar they'd decide we were a society of vehicles with slaves that maintain their paths and gather their fuel.

  The spaces we want to green shouldn't be thought of as a few places we reserve for trees, they should be corridors we can walk through on a blazing hot summer day to get a few groceries or meet a friend for coffee. Those green spaces, those trees, should invite us to sit and relax, hopefully somewhere that cars aren't whizzing by creating an envelope of omnipresent noise.

  The story I want to write is a future story, a story where I can go for a coffee, can go for a walk for groceries, and it doesn't matter where I live in Kingston, this is part of our urban fabric. I want to live in a lower-carbon-footprint world because I'm not obliged to drive 1500kg of metal around to do minor chores, and where those chores aren't chores because of connection to community. To live in this future I either need to move to one of the few areas where this is possible, or to work to write the new story for Kingston, where trees are part of a larger rethinking of how we inhabit space.

• Imagining a Different City

  by RobHarrap, 12 months ago
  I just returned from a trip to the Netherlands and I can't see Kingston the same way now. It is one thing to read about possible changes but to visit somewhere that has embodied those changes is much more visceral.

  Far more space devoted to bike lanes and separate walking paths. Far more space devoted to highly efficient transit that means you don't need to take a car for most trips, and that transit is cheaper, too. Green spaces with ponds and marshes. Green spaces that connect with streets with trees so you can walk long distances in shade.

  This... Continue reading

  I just returned from a trip to the Netherlands and I can't see Kingston the same way now. It is one thing to read about possible changes but to visit somewhere that has embodied those changes is much more visceral.

  Far more space devoted to bike lanes and separate walking paths. Far more space devoted to highly efficient transit that means you don't need to take a car for most trips, and that transit is cheaper, too. Green spaces with ponds and marshes. Green spaces that connect with streets with trees so you can walk long distances in shade.

  This idea, this model, this change from everything being about what is good for big cars and trucks, is what I want. Trees and shade first, shading public paths and bike lanes. Diverse trees with species recognizing climate adaptation. Spaces shared with other creatures.

• What if, in 2045, Kingston's forest was unique in the world?

  by Joyce Hostyn, 12 months ago
  

  “A forest knows things. They wire themselves up underground. There are brains down there, ones our own brains aren’t shaped to see. Root plasticity. The environment is alive, a fluid changing web of purposeful lives dependent on each other, flowers shape bees as much as bees shape flowers. Trees shape us as much as we shape trees. We’ve just forgotten how to see... Trees have long been trying to reach us. But they speak in frequencies too low for people to hear." Richard Powers, The Overstory I took this picture of my back yard last summer. Front left is a... Continue reading

  “A forest knows things. They wire themselves up underground. There are brains down there, ones our own brains aren’t shaped to see. Root plasticity. The environment is alive, a fluid changing web of purposeful lives dependent on each other, flowers shape bees as much as bees shape flowers. Trees shape us as much as we shape trees. We’ve just forgotten how to see... Trees have long been trying to reach us. But they speak in frequencies too low for people to hear." Richard Powers, The Overstory I took this picture of my back yard last summer. Front left is a young Black Walnut (Juglans nigra), planted by a squirrel around 20 years ago. A squirrel who, in squirrel time, was probably a great great great great great ancestor of squirrels who today call this patch of Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Forest home. At the back, you can see White Oak (Quercus alba) and Red Oak (Q. rubra). I am deeply grateful for the presence of these Elder Oaks who, along with another Elder Oak and an Elder Sugar Maple, live at the back of my yard. I'm not sure of their age, but I suspect they're at least 100, present on this land from a time long before there were houses or a street. These Elder Oaks survived the expansion of the City of Kingston onto their land due to their presence along the fenceline of a former farmer's field and the decision to preserve a piece of the former field for a park. Before the farmer's field, their ancestors probably flourished in a Oak-Maple-Hickory Forest. Over the past 100 years, they have witnessed wetlands drained, the channeling of Highgate Creek, the disappearance of Salmon from Highgate Creek, the disappearance of the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee, the decline of the Monarchs who once might have sheltered in them as they prepared for their journey south and the disappearance of the 27 Purple Martins colonies with whom they once shared the Land, Air and Water. As children, they may even have witnessed the last of the Passenger Pigeons stop to feast on Acorns from a Mother Tree. And, in their rings, they are telling the story of our changing climate. In The Elders of the Forest: A Métis Dendroclimatologist's Perspective, Dr. Colin Laroque, Métis scholar, asks us to trust the words of trees who have lived longer than us. Red Oak and White Oak could live 400 or 500 years. So the Oaks at the back of my yard are probably only teenagers in Oak time. Friday March 21 I celebrated the International Day of Forests, offering a prayer, a hug, my love and my hopes for their future and the future of their descendants. Here's an excerpt from the Land Acknowledgement of Little Forest Kingston's 2024 Annual Report: "Trees remind us of our responsibilities as ancestors. They are our gifts to the future. We whisper a prayer of peace and love to each one, asking them to pass that message to the humans who will know these Trees as full grown and majestic. Planting Forests is an expression of love for our Earthly Kin who will step, fly, or crawl among them. We invite you to join us on this journey." Here are some things I think are important as we imagine Kingston in 2045: More-than-human perspective and agency: What might Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee have to say? How about Chickadee, Oak or Firefly? Kawsak Sacha reminds us that a “metamorphosis will only be possible once we learn to listen to and dialogue with these other beings, who are part of a cosmic conversation that goes well beyond the dialogue […] until now carried out exclusively among us humans.” Ecological corridors: Each of our Earthly Kin have their own way of moving through landscape. How might we create connectivity to enable them to safely move through our city. 3-30-300 tree equity: Imagine a city where every child can see at least three trees from their window. Where they can walk, wheel or bike down tree lined streets serenaded by the songs of birds and insects. Where they can play, dance and experience the magic of a forest, meadow or wetland within 300 metres of their home. Watershed thinking: Reversing the drought, fire, flood watershed degenerative spiral by offering water spaces to slow down, nourish Photosynthesizers, and soak into the land. Forest-as-verb: Kinship is a verb. Forests are continually becoming, in relationship with Land, Water, Air, humans and our more-than-human Kin. How might thinking of forest as verb — foresting — inform our vision for Kingston in 2045? What if each each forest patch was a genetically diverse mother patch, ensuring high quality seed for birds, mammals and children to spread. Forest as food: Stewarding forests for food is the oldest form of agriculture. Imagine a city flourishing with food forests and forage forests in every park, along active transportation corridors and in every schoolyard. Flourishing forest understory of meadows, shrublands and thickets: Imagine if, instead of parks and yards of dotted with lonely trees in a sea of turfgrass (traps for migrating birds when they discover there's nothing to eat and traps for Lepidoptera who have no place to overwinter), turfgrass was replaced by multi-layer meadows, shrublands and thickets along forest edges and connecting forest patches. What if, in 2045, our urban forest was unique in the world? What if, in 2045, our urban forest was an embodied land acknowledgement? One where, once again, Monarchs stopped over on their journey South. Where Rusty-Patched Bumble Bees flourished. Where Purple Martins and other insectivorous birds thrived. In 2045, the City has learned to listen to the wisdom of Trees, Forests and their more-than-human Kin. Just like an acorn transforms into a mighty Oak, our collective vision could transform Kingston into a flourishing, multispecies City in a Forest. "What if a city could be a forest? Not just a forest in the way we tend to think of the urban forest today, but a complex and interconnected ecosystem that supports a myriad of rich and diverse life forms, not just human, that are deeply connected to the soil, water cycle, and seasons? What if we started designing our cities like they were forests, embedding the intelligence of nature in all of our urban systems?" Shannon Baker, The City is a Forest

• Multiple evergreens recently planted on the property that used to be the entrance to the Kingston Utilities water treatment plant. Wartman/Patterson Park at the end of Sunny Acres.

  by Wendya, 12 months ago

  There is a misconception about piling mulch around the base of newly planted trees protects them. While mulch is good for keeping the roots moist and nourished, if it is more than an inch it smothers the trunk base and they will die. Evidence are the trees that are dying in this same area, planted with way too much mulch at the base. Too much is not a good thing, in this case. The new trees planted are lovely but have a height of mulch that will eventually kill these trees. And that would be a waste of taxpayer’s money... Continue reading

  There is a misconception about piling mulch around the base of newly planted trees protects them. While mulch is good for keeping the roots moist and nourished, if it is more than an inch it smothers the trunk base and they will die. Evidence are the trees that are dying in this same area, planted with way too much mulch at the base. Too much is not a good thing, in this case. The new trees planted are lovely but have a height of mulch that will eventually kill these trees. And that would be a waste of taxpayer’s money. Please advise staff and remove some of the mulch so these trees don’t die. Thankyou.

• Working together towards a healthy city for all

  by Joshc, about 1 year ago

  With recognition of all the advantages to humans and other beings provided by forests, wetlands, meadows and other natural places, the City of Kingston helped to bring together people to co-design and create a "forested city". The facilitated co-designing conversations, specifically meant to create consensus on both the need for development of housing/businesses and the need to do so in an ecologically minded fashion, result in changes to building incentives and codes which facilitate less stressful and cheaper development, the planting and sometimes conserving of many more terrestrial and water habitats, the decentralized capture of rain and stormwater by the... Continue reading

  With recognition of all the advantages to humans and other beings provided by forests, wetlands, meadows and other natural places, the City of Kingston helped to bring together people to co-design and create a "forested city". The facilitated co-designing conversations, specifically meant to create consensus on both the need for development of housing/businesses and the need to do so in an ecologically minded fashion, result in changes to building incentives and codes which facilitate less stressful and cheaper development, the planting and sometimes conserving of many more terrestrial and water habitats, the decentralized capture of rain and stormwater by the land, market driven greener building choices and, most importantly, the creation of a City where folks work together rather than against each other. At first working with the willing and good intentioned Developers, Govt. employees, businesses, ecologically focussed organizations and general community, a mandate for creating a thriving city for both humans and the other beings is organically cultivated and created. As this effort succeeds, those more skeptical join the process. Working in this way becomes the de facto approach to how to make tough decisions and grow the city. The result of these conversations is the City supports and benefits from:

  • growing the number of folks who understand, value and work to increase and improve this modified and intentional approach to community decision making
  • a commitment to a shovel worthy rather than shovel ready approach to development
  • installation of not just grey infrastructure but also, and preferentially, nature based systems infrastructure to support the development or retrofit of housing and businesses
  • the growing of bio-diverse hedge rows as part of the development and retrofit processes, thus utilizing land typically not used by for buildings with the concurrent creation of huge swaths of biodiverse habitat and ecological corridors
  • actively supporting community planting and stewarding of: biodiverse hedgerows, Miyawaki style forests, food forests, foraging forests, native meadows, wetlands and ecological corridors
  • the increase in the market for nature based solution and related labour and expertise (labour best done by humans rather than robots) which helps to offset the loss of jobs due to automation brought on by AI and robotic innovations.
  • increasing food sovereignty as restaurants and homes take advantage of the increase in locally grown edible plants, nuts and fruits that come as part of these initiatives thus also lowering costs and minimizing pain caused by geopolitical changes to supply chains
  • the improving relationships with the farmers and towns proximate to the City who now view the City as a place where farmers can easily work closely with the restaurants and local supermarkets to supply and sell the kind of foods that can be grown locally
  • Increasing seed sovereignty due to people learning to: harvest, store, plant and care for locally grown seed. This work substantially minimizes costs for some of the plantings while providing meaning and employment to some of the City and surrounding areas' inhabitants
  • Increasing the use of compost and mulch by inhabitants thus lowering the costs of transportation, storage and disposal of this valuable resource
  • supporting the growing of plants by children as a means of passing on this type of knowledge and the benefits that come from working with and really getting to know the natural environment around them
  • the lower cooling and heating costs due to the cooling effects of the dramatic increase in evapotranspiration and shade
  • lowering stormwater management costs as less of the water from large weather events is diverted into the sewer system and/or washes out roads and floods buildings
  • the decrease in mental, physical, emotional and spiritual illnesses by increasing peoples' connection to the land, improving their micro-biotic health and the calming effects of easier access to nature
  • the decreasing exposure and lowered costs to mitigating pollution through the increased use of phytoremediation, mycoremediation, bioaugmentation and biochar applications to cleaning up particularly toxic sites
  • an increase in the native beings able to live proximate to humans without having to compete with them
  • a minimizing of Kingston's negative effects on the surrounding land, lakes and waterways with a concurrent increase in the watershed's health and ability to support tourism, recreation and businesses reliant on these lands and water bodies

  In 2045, despite the myriad of societal, environmental and technological changes buffeting the world, the City of Kingston is a place where people live in community not only with other humans but with its other inhabitants as well. The people of Kingston have built on the above approaches and can now work through even tough issues without the conversations devolving into negative forms of conflict and the often concurrent corruption and cynicism. Kingston shares its expertise with other communities and is able to integrate folks from all over the world as the City grows. Most importantly, the residents of Kingston are proud of the future they have passed on to their children and grandchildren.

• Input on the Forest Management Strategy: Thoughts, Questions, and Recommendations

  by bmckee, about 1 year ago

  1. Use a city heat map overlaid with socio-economic data to identify high-priority planting areas, where vulnerable populations often coincide with hotter microclimates.
     
     

  2. Create a public, interactive tree planting map where residents can suggest locations for future plantings.
     
     

  3. Use streetscapes to calm traffic and provide shade along active transportation routes and near school zones.
     
     

  4. Align the forest strategy with the City’s active transportation plan to maximize shared benefits.
     
     

  5. Prioritize tree planting in parks by creating naturalized zones with layered plantings that reduce maintenance and enhance biodiversity — look to Brooklyn Bridge Park (NYC) and Leslie Street Lookout Park (Toronto) as precedents... Continue reading

  1. Use a city heat map overlaid with socio-economic data to identify high-priority planting areas, where vulnerable populations often coincide with hotter microclimates.
     
     

  2. Create a public, interactive tree planting map where residents can suggest locations for future plantings.
     
     

  3. Use streetscapes to calm traffic and provide shade along active transportation routes and near school zones.
     
     

  4. Align the forest strategy with the City’s active transportation plan to maximize shared benefits.
     
     

  5. Prioritize tree planting in parks by creating naturalized zones with layered plantings that reduce maintenance and enhance biodiversity — look to Brooklyn Bridge Park (NYC) and Leslie Street Lookout Park (Toronto) as precedents.
     
     

  6. Assess forest health using more than just canopy cover—evaluate species diversity, structure, and the presence of invasive species.
     
     

  7. Clarify the City's definition of a forest—whether it includes shrubs and understorey layers or leans toward parkland with open ground.
     
     

  8. Implement a successional planting plan in 1950s subdivisions where trees are nearing the end of life.
     
     

  9. Reconsider tree planting standards—plant more, smaller tree stock to increase survival rates and reduce costs.
     
     

  10. Improve tree management by using mycorrhizal inoculants, biochar, and radial trenching to relieve root zone compaction.
      
      

  11. Encourage sensitive excavation methods near trees during construction, such as hydro-vac or vacuum digging, to protect root systems.
      
      

  12. Establish a formal tree protection policy for Kingston’s urban core — currently, no such policy exists.
      
      

  13. Enable neighbourhood forest groups to help plan, plant, and manage trees at the local level.
      
      

  14. Use public notice boards to raise awareness, promote programs, and call residents to action.
      
      

  15. Acknowledge Kingston’s marshlands as key components of its urban form and natural infrastructure — not as refuse areas — and draw inspiration from Toronto’s ravine strategy (i.e., sponge city concept).
      
      

  16. Incorporate green infrastructure projects such as rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs, and Little Forests into urban planning.
      
      

  17. Support watershed enhancements and reclaim lost river systems in Kingston through daylighting and sponge city techniques.
      
      

  18. Prioritize native species, especially keystone varieties that support local ecosystems.
      
      

  19. Reevaluate vegetation selection using site-specific tools to ensure suitability for conditions like soil, sun, and moisture.
      
      

  20. Ensure adequate soil volume and health in all urban planting projects, particularly for street trees.
      
      

  21. Allow targeted invasive species management through selective herbicide use — this is currently prohibited by City by-law, but supported by provincial and federal best practices.
      
      

  22. Reclaim neglected forested public areas like Collins Creek and Belle Park for ecological and community use.
      
      

  23. Improve the design of urban tree infrastructure using solutions like Silva Cells and stormwater-linked planting methods.
      
      

  24. Clarify and support green business partnerships to make it easier for local businesses to collaborate with the City on tree and forest projects.
      
      

  25. Acknowledge unique local conditions like shallow soils and exposed bedrock in planting strategies.
      
      

  26. Create a dedicated seed strategy and task force to collect local seeds of valuable species and propagate them in City-run production greenhouses.
      
      

  27. Review tree procurement policies to prioritize local suppliers and reduce reliance on out-of-region stock.
      
      

  28. Plan for tree reuse by repurposing material from felled trees — for example, into biochar, public mulch, logs for sitting/play features, or natural installations.

  
  

  1. Clarify what outcomes are expected from this strategy — what actionable items, projects, or funding mechanisms will result from this work?

• Downtown and school Forests ASAP

  by Hannah Kaufman, about 1 year ago
  I echo the visions and wise words I've read here, especially the importance of equity and cooling. Two sectors that are under-treed are the downtown core and school yards. Downtown core: If you've ever walked down princess St., had lunch at a downtown patio, or hung out in Market square on a hot summer day, you've probably yearned for a bit of shade. I've welcomed the new planter, including the planters on the backs of benches (they add some cooling and a bit of visual relief from the pavement), and the occasional tree, but more trees are needed. I've spoken... Continue reading

  I echo the visions and wise words I've read here, especially the importance of equity and cooling. Two sectors that are under-treed are the downtown core and school yards. Downtown core: If you've ever walked down princess St., had lunch at a downtown patio, or hung out in Market square on a hot summer day, you've probably yearned for a bit of shade. I've welcomed the new planter, including the planters on the backs of benches (they add some cooling and a bit of visual relief from the pavement), and the occasional tree, but more trees are needed. I've spoken with the city arborist who said his efforts to include more trees downtown have failed.

  Schools: Historically, schools gardens and trees have been at the mercy of an interested teacher or administrator, with the support of individual families and school councils, to make these project happen. Trees have been a very hard sell with the board resulting in stalled or cancelled projects. An LDSB policy, with a plan for every school, could make a difference in planting much sooner.

• 30 YEARS IN

  by joanne gervais, about 1 year ago

  35 years ago we had two 1 acre lawns, one in the front and the other the back of the house. After a few years of family feuding over who will cut the lawn, fix the lawnmower, add gas to the lawnmower, etc. and after calculating that 8 hours a month was spent doing the totally mindless, idiotic activity of grass cutting, I decided it was time for a change. I had grown up with clover lawns alive with bumble bees, butterflies, little ants and countless other creatures, and did not know what lawn cutting was until my father stupidly... Continue reading

  35 years ago we had two 1 acre lawns, one in the front and the other the back of the house. After a few years of family feuding over who will cut the lawn, fix the lawnmower, add gas to the lawnmower, etc. and after calculating that 8 hours a month was spent doing the totally mindless, idiotic activity of grass cutting, I decided it was time for a change. I had grown up with clover lawns alive with bumble bees, butterflies, little ants and countless other creatures, and did not know what lawn cutting was until my father stupidly planted grass seeds one year.

  I lined up at the farm co-op and ordered clover seeds. The know it all elder clerk, man, said to me in a deep condescending voice "no maaam, you wanna grass seed" ..... "my dear sir, NO, I wanna clover seeds".............."maaaaammmm, who plants clover, everybody plants grass seed" ...... " my dear sir, I want to plant CLOVER seeds, that I do know".....
  "well maaam, if ya wanna clover seeds, I'll give ya clover seeds:' ...."perfect, dear sir. One kg bag please." "maamm, what height do ya want? 6" or 8":?"

  "wonderful dear sir,...I will take the 6:"....."no can do maaaammm. We are out of stock for 6"." ............"ok not so dear sir....I will take the 8"" Short thereafter I planted the clover seeds which took over the grass seed. Having such a long root and not needing watering, the clover overtook the stressed grass during the hot dry summer weeks. At the same time my family planted hundreds of lilacs and various fruit, conifers and deciduous trees throughout the yard. Then we let nature take its course. We eventually donated the lawn mover, and now take out the weed wacker about twice a year to wack out a few trails amongst the trees. Today the grass is gone, little of the clover is left as now the trees are mature, tall and the top canopy creates too much shade for most plants to grow under it. IF you would like to see what transformation looks like after reforesting a grass lawn, come to 1746 Unity road, Glenburnie. Look at the lawn to the right and left of 1746 then look at the grounds of 1746. At one time the two lawns and our now treed lot were just one big lawn. It is striking to see what a park like lot is next to the dead zone grass lots. Our air conditioner certainly does not work as hard, as soon or as long as our neighbours whose unprotected houses sit in the dead heat of the sun.

• A Green Canopy Throughout the City of Kingston: Protect Preserve Manage

  by John Armstrong, about 1 year ago

  The city has a duty to take the long view towards a healthy urban forest.Large cities such as Mississauga have developed forest management plans based on the MNR MFTIP tax incentive program for private woodlot owners.

  The Ontario Woodlot Association is one of many agencies active throughout Ontario helping Private woodlot owners and municipalities in managing their woodlots.The City of Kingston if not already linked to this association would benefit from their staffs expertise.

  We know the benefits of a healthy forest in urban areas.We know the challenges of municipal growth and the challenges that presents to urban forests.The evidence... Continue reading

  The city has a duty to take the long view towards a healthy urban forest.Large cities such as Mississauga have developed forest management plans based on the MNR MFTIP tax incentive program for private woodlot owners.

  The Ontario Woodlot Association is one of many agencies active throughout Ontario helping Private woodlot owners and municipalities in managing their woodlots.The City of Kingston if not already linked to this association would benefit from their staffs expertise.

  We know the benefits of a healthy forest in urban areas.We know the challenges of municipal growth and the challenges that presents to urban forests.The evidence is all around us.

  The conventional wisdom of planting and ‘tabulating how many trees ‘ we plant in any year will never replace the ecosystems we destroy by massive tree removal such has been the practice for years.We are too far down the climate change path to continue past municipal forest management practices.

• Ideas for consideration

  by Bruce, about 1 year ago

  Here are some ideas for what Kingston can do on public land, for consideration .

  Urban Forest Management in Kingston - Strategic Actions for Public Lands

  1. Leverage and Update the Urban Forest Management Plan

  • Kingston’s Urban Forest Management Plan (2011–2030) provides a framework — but ongoing updates are key to address:

  • Climate change adaptation

  • Invasive species (e.g., emerald ash borer)

  • Equity in canopy cover across districts like Rideau Heights vs Sydenham

  
  

  2. Prioritize Tree Planting in Underserved Neighbourhoods

  • Use tree equity tools and GIS mapping to target low-canopy, heat-vulnerable areas.

  • Consider partnerships with... Continue reading

  Here are some ideas for what Kingston can do on public land, for consideration .

  Urban Forest Management in Kingston - Strategic Actions for Public Lands

  1. Leverage and Update the Urban Forest Management Plan

  • Kingston’s Urban Forest Management Plan (2011–2030) provides a framework — but ongoing updates are key to address:

  • Climate change adaptation

  • Invasive species (e.g., emerald ash borer)

  • Equity in canopy cover across districts like Rideau Heights vs Sydenham

  
  

  2. Prioritize Tree Planting in Underserved Neighbourhoods

  • Use tree equity tools and GIS mapping to target low-canopy, heat-vulnerable areas.

  • Consider partnerships with Indigenous communities for culturally relevant planting.

  
  

  3. Diversify the Urban Forest

  • Emphasize native and climate-resilient species (e.g., red oak, hackberry, serviceberry).

  • Avoid over-reliance on species vulnerable to future pests or temperature extremes.

  
  

  4. Expand Tree Inventory and Monitoring

  • Kingston’s public tree inventory is a strong foundation — expand this with:

  • Digital tools to track tree health

  • Community input through apps or citizen science

  
  

  5. Strengthen Public Engagement and Stewardship

  • Expand community planting events, school programs, and “Adopt-a-Tree” initiatives.

  • Collaborate with groups like LEAF, Tree Canada, and local NGOs or neighborhood associations.

  
  

  6. Use Trees as Climate Infrastructure

  • Design green corridors linking Lake Ontario Park to downtown and inner neighbourhoods.

  • Integrate trees into stormwater management (bioswales, rain gardens along Princess St., etc.).

  • Increase shading for transit stops, bike lanes, and playgrounds.

  
  

  7. Improve Long-Term Maintenance

  • Invest in proactive pruning, soil care, and watering — especially for young trees.

  • Address conflicts with sidewalks, utilities, or snow clearing through better root zone design and species selection.

  
  

  8. Align Urban Forestry with Broader City Goals

  • Integrate with Kingston’s:

  • Climate Leadership Plan (targeting net-zero by 2040)

  • Parks and Recreation Master Plan

  • Sustainable Kingston goals

  
  

  9. Protect Existing Mature Trees

  • Mature canopy provides the greatest benefit. Enhance:

  • Tree protection policies on city property

  • Development review processes to preserve trees during capital projects