Winnipeg's Urban Forest
Winnipeg’s Urban Forest Overview • 3 million trees city-wide • 17% canopy cover (2018) • $3 billion compensatory value • 58% of public tree inventory is ash & elm Challenges • Climate Change: Warmer summers means more hot days and less moisture for trees. The frequency of extreme events like heat waves and heavy, wet snowfalls is expected to increase. • Urbanization: Winnipeg is growing, with new development at the urban fringe and densification in existing areas changing the landscape for trees. • Pests & Disease: Dutch elm disease and emerald ash borer could impact more than 50% of Winnipeg’s tree population. Warmer temperatures will improve pest survival and growth. • Winnipeg risks losing almost 50% of its tree population in the next 40 years to pests and disease. Our Plan Vision for the urban forest: An abundant, healthy, diverse, and resilient and contributes to the health and wellbeing of all people and communities. Goals: 1. Plan accountability 2. Plant strategically 3. Manage adaptively 4. Protect prudently 5. Partner purposefully City-wide targets: 1. 24% canopy cover by 2065 2. No more than 2% annual loss of citywide American elm Public Tree Targets Public Tree Targets: 3. No more than 5% of potential planting sites vacant 4. One tree replaced for every tree removed 5. No more than 10% species and 20% genus in public inventory 6. No more than 1.5% annual loss of public trees 7. Prune street trees on a seven-year cycle and park trees on a 12-year cycle 8. At least 50% customer satisfaction