On September 21, 2011
I introduced a Notice of Motion to City Council entitled: "Canadian Food Inspection Agency Forest Pest Compensation Regulations on
replacement grants for Emerald Ash Borer".
The item was referred to the Parks and Environment Committee: If you have any
comments on this item to be added to the item when it appears at the Parks and
Environment Committee please email: pec@toronto.ca.
Notice of Motion
The City of Toronto along with other municipalities is experiencing the negative effects of
the Emerald Ash Borer across the City. The City of Toronto is investing to replace city
owned trees to preserve our tree canopy. The city does not have the means to replace
trees on privately owned properties.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recently introduced Forest Pest Compensation
Regulations to include replacement of trees infected with EAB. The compensation
referred to on the CFIA website is for trees that were removed or ordered to be removed
by CFIA. The CFIA is however not ordering the removal of ash trees. Homeowners are
removing ash trees to avoid hazards not because the CFIA is trying to prevent further
spread of the insect.
The regulation although good intentioned covers only the trees the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency orders to be cut down, as the agency is not ordering removal of trees,
residents who require compensation are not eligible for the replacement grant to cover the
cost of planting new trees.
The City of Toronto is seeking assistance from the Federal Government to compensate
Toronto residents. The City of Toronto could work with the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency by entering into a purchase of service agreement to conduct the investigation and
issue orders for removal of trees infected with emerald ash borer enabling property owners
to become eligible for the replacement grant.
In the case of Asian long horned beetle owners of trees close to the deemed infested
areas were given orders to remove their private trees, the CFIA removed the trees
and offered compensation to help owners with the replacement.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. The City of Toronto's Parks Forestry and Recreation division enter into a purchase of
service agreement with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to order the removal of
ash trees infected with Emerald Ash Borer,
2. Parks Forestry and Recreation report to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on the
removal orders issued to property owners making them eligible for the replacement
grant offered through the Forest Pest Compensation Regulations,
3. Parks Forestry and Recreation further approach the Canadian Food Inspection Agencyto request that City of Toronto owned trees also be eligible for the replacement grants.
September, 2011
Dear Residents,
Earlier this month I was further briefed on Emerald Ash Borer in Ward 43. Staff advised that the infestation had spread and is at this time having the most impact north of Ellesmere Road, east of Midland Avenue this is measured by the number of trees which are deemed to have reached the last stages of EAB; this map may be viewed on the City's forestry website. www.toronto.ca/eab
Our community nonetheless has had recorded sites of EAB. I put forward a number of motions to the Parks and Environment Committee to give the Forestry Division the tools to allow for exceptions to the Toronto tree bylaw to exempt resident from the permit requirement for removal of trees that are dying or dead from EAB infestation. This motion was granted.
All requests for exemptions of privately owned ash trees that are EAB infested will be considered through an expedited process, to help keep City of Toronto Urban Forestry informed of the extent of EAB spread and ash tree mortality.
1. Confirm that your tree is an ash and that it is infested by Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Go to: http://www.toronto.ca/trees/eab.htm and click on "City of London ash tree identification document." If you wish to learn more about EAB, on the same page click on: "EAB Public Presentation."
2. Call 311 requesting a Private Ash Tree with EAB Removal Permit Exemption. (Until early September, 311 will refer you to an Urban Forestry Office.) Alternately, (prior to September, 2011) contact the Urban Forest Office directly by e-mail: Scarborough District: tppreast@toronto.ca
• Provide your name, address and contact information.
• If you have had a tree care professional examine your tree (this not a requirement in order to receive exemption) provide any data they have given you. You may also provide photographs. (also not required, but will be welcome)
• Confirm that you have verified that your tree is an ash and that it is suffering from EAB by visiting the Urban Forestry web site as noted above.
3. You will be issued your exemption confirmation by return e-mail.
4. In some cases, Urban Forestry will follow up with a request for additional information. As well, Urban Forestry will conduct some random inspections to ensure that the exemption process is working and that healthy, non-ash trees are not being removed in error.
Forestry continues to monitor City-owned ash trees for looking for signs and symptoms of EAB, updating our database on ash tree condition, removing and replacing ash trees when required and identifying presently available tree planting locations in areas of known EAB infestation.
With regards to the extent of the EAB infestation within the City of Toronto, an area of EAB infestation was found in Scarborough in the Morningside and Sheppard Avenue area. Just recently, we've become aware of an area in the vicinity of Kingston Rd. and Galloway Rd. that appears to have EAB infested ash trees located on private property but haven't yet confirmed through inspection of City-owned ash trees in the area.
TreeAzin, a naturally-occurring insecticidal substance has been registered for injection into ash trees over the past 2 years and has shown some efficacy. The expectation is that TreeAzin will be registered again in 2010 and homeowners may choose to have their ash trees injected by licensed contractors. Should homeowners wish to have a City-owned ash tree adjacent to their property injected at their expense, a "Contractors Service Agreement" between the homeowner, the licensed contractor and Urban Forestry is also available.
Q. Is the situation now worse than stated by Urban Forestry at the public meetings held earlier this year?
A. Subsequent to Councillor Ainslie’s meeting on March 10, 2009, an area of EAB infestation was found in Scarborough in the Morningside and Sheppard Avenue area. However, no other new areas of infestation have been confirmed within the City.
Q. Will a list of approved tree service firms be compiled by the city for quality control purposes?
A. Forestry will not be able to provide an "approved" list of tree service companies. However, Forestry always recommends using companies that employ qualified arborists who may be certified with the International Society of Arboriculture (I.S.A.).
Q. Do local residents have to get permission from the city to remove larger infected ash trees on private property?
A. Currently under review
Q. What is the best time of year to contemplate a large scale removal of trees, if this is deemed to be the solution?
A. Normally, destruction of infested trees with treatment such as chipping
to less than 2.5 cm in any two dimensions during the low risk period
from October 1 - March 31 will kill all prepupal life stages of EAB and
prevent the spread of the insect. Recent research in the United States has shown that there is some evidence that ash wood, particularly logs, cut in July and August in the early stages of larval development & placed or left in full sunlight will dramatically lower EAB survival.
Q. Will a local dump site or transfer station for wood chips be established?
A. Ash wood or chips can be taken to the following transfer stations:
Ash material can be disposed of at the Dufferin Transfer Station, 35 Vanley Crescent (south of Finch off Chesswood Drive). There is a fee of $75/ton for small wood and brushes and a $100/ton for larger wood.
Hours of operation for the Dufferin Transfer Station are:
- Monday - Friday: 6am-6pm
- Closed to Residential Loads 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday to Friday
- Closed Saturday and Sunday
Additional information is available by phoning 416-392-3161
Q. What type of trees does the city recommend be planted for replacement and for
diversity purposes?
A. Urban Forestry recommends the planting of large growing native shade trees. However, in some circumstances, non-native species may be suitable. I've attached our Street Tree planting brochure and another list of native trees for natural areas.
For additional information about EAB, please consult Forestry's EAB webpage at: http://www.toronto.ca/trees/eab.htm for more information and the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency webpage at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/pestrava/agrpla/agrplae.shtml for more information and Regulations regarding the movement of ash material and all firewood out of an Infested Area such as the City of Toronto.
Information provided by: Kristjan Vitols, Supervisor, Tree Nursery & Natural Resource Management Forest & Natural Environment Management Urban Forestry Branch, City of Toronto. 416-392-0432, kvitols@toronto.ca.
Questions asked at the session:
Q. Is the beetle only attacking Ash Trees?
A. Yes. There are a number of Ash species such as the Mountain Ash, this species is not affected. Only the regular Ash tree.
Q. How do I know if my tree is affected?
A. The first noticeable sign would be if the leaves on the top of the tree are dying leaving a very sparingly look on the top or small v shaped holes along the bark. Please call the City if you believe your tree to be infected.
Q. How can I prevent it?
A. There is no prevention for EAB.
Q. Can a tree be saved after it’s affected?
A. There is an injection that can be used, that is 95% successful in keeping the tree alive. The cost associated are between $300-$400 per tree and must be repeated every 2 years.
Q. What is the life expectancy of an infected tree?
A. This varies. It could be between 3 – 5 years.
Q. Will the City of Toronto remove an infected tree from my private property?
A. Unfortunately no. The City does not remove trees from private property.
Q. How many Ash trees are in Guildwood village?
A. 26,000
Complete information on EAB can be found at:
http://www.toronto.ca/trees/eab.htm
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/
