Trees Committee

Remember the heat dome last summer? And how hot our homes and streets were (except for the well shaded ones)? Let us tell you about a well-studied connection of cities’ effects on temperatures called the Urban Heat Island Effect. 

The hard materials in buildings, roads and sidewalks in the centre of cities warm up under the sun and then radiate heat into the surrounding air. 

In rural areas, the ground is mostly covered in grass, trees, and crops which don’t heat up the way hard materials do. Suburban areas are in between, as they have buildings and asphalt but more grass and trees than the centre of the city. Parks are cooler than the surrounding city. Measuring the temperature above these areas, you see an increase in temperature of several degrees over the downtown and inner-city neighbourhoods, compared to the greener outlying areas.  

With climate change, heat waves are predicted to become more frequent, severe, and last longer. Extreme heat is life threatening especially to older people, children, pregnant women and those with chronic conditions. In the 2003 heat wave in Europe 70,000 people died and many more suffered*. 

What can be done to help cool off the inner city? Light coloured building surfaces are a better choice than dark colours. Increasing the amount of vegetation coverage is really important, with parks, tree planting, and green roofs on buildings. Trees make a difference by shading the streets and buildings. Additionally, they deflect the sun’s radiation, and actively cool the air by releasing water vapour through their leaves. In Bridgeland Riverside, we are fortunate to have many tree-lined streets, but there are also many that have few trees. Some of the new infill development is leading to a reduction in our tree canopy. The BRCA Tree Team has been working with the City Urban Forestry program to ensure more trees will be planted on City land in our community this summer. Homeowners can make an even bigger difference by planting trees around their property since most of Bridegland is residential. Soon we will have tree planting resources on the BRCA website to help with our call to action for more trees  – watch for it!

*https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-heat-and-health

Laura and the BRCA Tree Team

The BRCA has a Tree Team, working to increase the number and maintain the health of the public trees in our community. Why would we want to do this? Trees have so many benefits that we thought we would let you know some that you might not already be aware of.

Trees:

• Cool the environment in the hot summer – remember the difference walking down a shady street in last summer’s heat dome compared to a sunny street?  They can decrease the need for air conditioning of homes.
• Shelter homes and pedestrians from cold winds in winter – Evergreens around your home can lower your heating bill. Trees can also block blowing snow.
• Increase property values.
• Absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen – great for slowing global warming. They also absorb many air pollutants – providing cleaner air for us to breathe
• Absorb water in their roots – minimizing storm water run-off, soil erosion and flooding.
• Release water vapour into the air – great in our semi-arid environment
• Provide homes and food for birds and small animals and insects, especially pollinators
• Provide food for us, birds and animals – apples, crabapples, cherries – even pears grow here!
• Are beautiful to look at – green spaces have been shown to improve mental and physical health

As part of our work, we will share more information with you about the benefits of trees, what we are doing to plant more trees in the community, and where to get information if you want to plant trees on your property that will thrive. 

Looking to plant a tree this spring but not sure where to start? The BRCA Tree Team has put together a list of FAQs to help make your planting experience as easy and successful as possible. Thanks for your interest in helping increase the tree canopy in our beautiful neighbourhood!

Where do I get a tree to plant?

The City of Calgary offers a free program to residents, Branching Out, which allows people to register to pick up a tree in the spring. Be sure to visit www.Calgary.ca/trees to stay tuned for information on program registration in the coming months! 

Beyond the City, there are several local garden centers and nurseries that are great options to pick up a tree. Please note that some of these companies require you to pre-order for sales, so visit their websites for more information.

• Plantation Garden Centre
• Cobble Stone Garden
• Greengate
• Foothills Nurseries
• Blue Grass Nursery 
• Golden Acres

What kind of tree should I plant?

The City of Calgary is a great resource for this question! On their website you can find a list of species that are able to thrive in Calgary’s unpredictable weather. They have listed several categories of trees and species that fall within each category.

How do I start planting a tree? Where do I plant it? 

‘Right Tree, Right Location’ is an online module prepared by the City to help answer these questions. It gives you a list of considerations before you start planting, steps on how to plant, and caring for your tree once it has been planted. Please note, that completion of this module is required to participate in the Branching Out Program. 

Questions about bylaws relating to your new plant or older tree? You can find information regarding shrubs, trees, requirements for newly construction, and protecting trees during construction on the City’s website. 

Reminder to contact 311 before digging to locate any utilities on your property for your safety. 

How do I make sure my newly planted tree is getting enough TLC?

From pruning to watering, the City has provided all the information you need on these topics. They have provided the resources to inform you on pests, when to call an arborist, and how much water your tree needs, depending on its age. 

Tell me more about the City’s Branching Out Program!

– The Program is 100% free.
– Residents will need to complete the “Right Tree, Right Location eLearning Module” on the Branching Out Webpage as the registration form to fill out for a tree is at the conclusion of the module.
– Please ensure if you are registering for a tree that you are picking the correct tree for your yard and that you are able to pick up your tree. Trees will not be exchanged for other species, and any trees not picked up on the pickup date will not be available for pick up on another day.
– By registering for a tree you are agreeing to submit your address and tree location as well as a photo so that the geolocation of the tree can be tracked on the tree inventory map that Urban Forestry looks after to be able to include it in the canopy percentage goals.

– There is a limited number of trees available, so be sure to keep an eye open for the registration date. 

 – The tree species available this year are:

– Siberian Larch

– Ussurian Pear

– Trembling Aspen

– Paper Birch

– Courageous Crab 

– Ponderosa Pine

Happy planting!

Tylar & the BRCA Tree Team

The new maps of the city’s plans for tree planting in our community is here! These maps show the places the City will be planting 116 new trees on the public land on our boulevards and medians in early June 2022. They also show the species of tree that will be planted.

While the plans are for information purposes only, you can be one of the first to see where they will be added right here: BRIDGELAND-RIVERSIDE TREE MAP.

More trees will be planted in 2023, including in our parks.