Ash Tree Disaster

[crooked rain]

Originally Posted by Wentworth

What is the deal with these trees that are dying everywhere, at least on the West side of the city where I live. I believe they are Ash trees? Some of them only have leaves on a few branches, some have none at all. I did some googling on this and it seems like there is an insect that has been attacking these trees for the past 7 years... yet the City has continue to plant them heavily in new subdivisions.

If you live in Wentworth, you might be referring to the half dead tree on my front lawn. Seems like a lot of ash trees in his neighbourhood are dying. We plan on removing ours and replacing it.

[Wentworth]

Originally Posted by crooked rain

If you live in Wentworth, you might be referring to the half dead tree on my front lawn. Seems like a lot of ash trees in his neighbourhood are dying. We plan on removing ours and replacing it.

I can't say that I've seen a really vigorous Ash anywhere in Wentworth, so you're in good company. One of my neighbours has one that has been completely dead for probably 3 years now.

The ones that the developer planted are faring even worse. There are a bunch around Wentworth Park (the field) that are practically dead, as well as on 85th, but is is the area around Westside Rec and Westhills that I am noticing the totally dead trees.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by freeweed

PS: someone should rename this thread to "Calgary's trees" or something, because there are several forumers who know lots more about all this than I do, and it's a fun discussion.

Mods, could you actually do this please?

[DizzyEdge]

I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about a tree planting program in the 1960s or 70s in Calgary?

Many are familiar with some of the massive tree canopied streets in the 'North Hill' area, Tuxedo Park or Mount Pleasant.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@51.06966...7i13312!8i6656

Since the builds of the original homes in these neighborhoods were first 19-teens, and then completed in the 1940s I always assumed the trees were from one of those two eras. But it appears that's not correct. I checked the historical air photos on calgary.ca and almost no trees appear in the 1924 nor 1948 photos, but do in the 1979 one, perhaps half the size they are today. I'm very curious about this.

1948



1979



It's a longshot, but I thought I'd throw the question out there.

[DoubleK]

I'm a forester by training. Those are elm trees and by the size of them I'd say 50~60 years old.

I've poked around the City of Calgary to see if they have a City Forester (most cities I've lived in have one) but wasn't able to find a name. I know they do have urban foresters on staff and they do run tours and have outreach sessions around town.

Don't know if you've seen this GIS applet they have, https://maps.calgary.ca/TreeSchedule/

It shows the density of trees and the value of them.

[DizzyEdge]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

I'm a forester by training. Those are elm trees and by the size of them I'd say 50~60 years old.

I've poked around the City of Calgary to see if they have a City Forester (most cities I've lived in have one) but wasn't able to find a name. I know they do have urban foresters on staff and they do run tours and have outreach sessions around town.

Don't know if you've seen this GIS applet they have, https://maps.calgary.ca/TreeSchedule/

It shows the density of trees and the value of them.

Very cool. So planted between 1960-1970, which brings up the question of why certain blocks in those communities were planted end to end with Elm trees, 20-30 years after the last of the houses had been built.

Also very cool to see my street is also Brandon Elm. Also cool because I used to live on 13th Ave in Sunalta, and I picked a house in Mount Pleasant because I loved the tree canopy on 13th Ave, even though those trees were significantly taller. I see the reason why is the 13th Ave trees are American Elm vs the more compact Brandon Elms in Mount Pleasant.

I don't see anything on the app about the 'value' of the trees.

I'm going to spend way too much time on this..

[Wentworth]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Don't know if you've seen this GIS applet they have, https://maps.calgary.ca/TreeSchedule/

It shows the density of trees and the value of them.

I wonder which trees are included on this, it doesn't seem to include trees on Environmental Reserve land. None of the aspen forest in my neighborhood is included, for example, nor are any of the trees on my private property, for that matter.

[DoubleK]

It would be 'city' trees only, that is to say those on boulevards and medians, but not on private property or environmental reserves. Riparian areas are not considered to be urban forest. They serve different ecological functions.