FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Looming Tree Ecological Disaster Brings Winnipeggers
Together
Winnipeg
(November 12, 2019) — Winnipeg’s iconic
tree canopy is in crisis due to disease, climate change and chronic
under-funding. Every year, Winnipeg loses more trees than are planted – and it
promises to get worse unless Winnipeggers all work together to reverse this
trend.
Residents Associations, OURS-Winnipeg, and neighbourhood
groups have responded to the threat by joining forces to ask the City of
Winnipeg to increase the budget for the Urban Forestry Branch to maintain the
existing canopy, and plant trees now – for the future of our city.
Last
year, in a Parks and Open Space Division 2019 preliminary budget presentation,
the Urban Forestry Branch said that it did not have the resources for adequate tree disease management and pruning. Yet,
the City of Winnipeg did not approve Urban Forestry’s request for $11.6
million. They only approved $4 million, less than half of what they need to
carry out their mandate — a $7.61 million shortfall. As a result, the chronic
underfunding that contributes to tree canopy loss continued.
Ronald Mazur, spokesperson for OURS-Winnipeg, explained the
need to act at a recent meeting of concerned citizens. “October’s unprecedented
storm displayed the challenges extreme weather can place on the urban forest
and the need for its stable funding and care.” The group has launched the
“Saveourcanopy.com” online letter campaign for all Winnipeggers to participate
in asking the City to invest in trees.
Lisa Forbes of the Glenelm Neighbourhood Association’s tree
committee is the driving force of gathering the many groups together in calling
for action. “Winnipeg’s urban elm forest, the largest in North America, is an
irreplaceable and international treasure. We must act together to press all
levels of government to make trees a priority in our City.”
“The time to act is now — the City’s four year budget
process is well underway, and I urge all citizens who care about trees to pay
attention — join a local community group, or at the very least – send your
City Councillor a letter using the Save Our Canopy online resource before
November 27th,” Forbes urged.
While noting that multiple community groups across the city access
funding and volunteers to implement tree planting projects in their
neighbourhoods, significant public investment is needed. She added “The Urban
Forestry Branch needs long term funding to implement a sustainable
reforestation action plan for the entire City to avoid ecological disaster and
mitigate the effects of climate change.”
Forbes also pointed out that
investing in trees today makes good financial sense. “The urban forest is an
essential part of the city’s infrastructure and offers significant returns on
everything from increased property taxes and reduced energy costs to flood
mitigation. Making an investment in trees is just sound economics. And we’re
hopeful that the mayor and councillors will see that.”
The Urban Forestry Branch will be presenting its updated
budget on November 16th to the City’s Standing Policy Committee that
deals with our canopy. Delegations are then invited to present on November 27th.
-30-
