For the eighth consecutive year NeighbourWoods volunteers will be conducting a tree inventory on residential streets of Elora and Fergus.
Volunteers identify, measure and assess the health of local trees. To date, volunteers have collected detailed data on more than 7,000 trees in Elora and Fergus, helping to contribute to the grand total of 100,000 trees inventoried across Ontario.
During July volunteers will be on the street wearing their bright yellow t-shirts and recording 31 variables about each tree they inspect.
Some of the aspects that are examined include: height, crown size, trunk diameter and species. Other factors that are evaluated are: tree health, such as defoliation, dead or broken branches and the presence of cracks and conks.
This year volunteers will be using a tablet, instead of a pen and paper, for the first time.
The information collected by the tree inventory volunteers has led to some intriguing results. The data shows that 60 per cent of privately owned trees are deemed in excellent condition versus 40% of their publicly owned counterparts. This suggests that homeowners are willing to invest in tree care; such as proactive pruning. It also highlights the challenges of road salt and soil compaction faced by street trees. It has also been determined that approximately 70% of the local urban forest is made up of cedars, maples and spruces.
Results from previous years show trees in Centre Wellington increase a homeowner’s property value by 15 to 25% and that large trees currently hold the most value. These trees are also at an increased risk of problems, which tells us that more attention should go to properly caring for and maintaining them.
For more information call NeighbourWoods at (519)-846-0841 or contact us by email at neighbourwoods@eloraenvironmentcentre.ca.
