City of Burlington encouraging residents to participate in Street-Side Tree Planting program

The City of Burlington is relaunching its Street-Side Tree Planting program for the 2024 year. Burlington residents can now submit a request to the City to have a tree planted on the right-of-way in front of their house, on City property.

Getting involved in the Street-Side Tree Planting program is easy, hassle-free and just three steps:

1. Contact us! Residents can call the City at 905-335-7777 or email city@burlington.ca and mention that they would like to participate in the program.
2. Forestry Investigator Visit: An investigator will visit to assess the property and help select the right tree.
3. Planting: If the right-of-way is a good candidate for a tree, staff will add the address to the list of planting locations for the upcoming planting season.

Requests for 2024 tree plantings are accepted between January and April. Residents can indicate the tree species preference at the time of submission. Staff will try to accommodate resident requests; however, species choice is not guaranteed.

Scheduling of tree planting will be determined by the location, suitability and availability of the chosen tree species, as well as the current number of requests.

To learn more about the City’s program and other forestry initiatives, visit: getinvolvedburlington.ca/urban-forestry

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Quick Facts:

• Protecting and improving the natural environment and taking action on climate change is one of the four main focus areas in Burlington’s Plan from Vision to Focus 2022-2026. The Street-Side Tree Planting program supports the City’s objective to establish sustainable, low-carbon and climate resilient communities through growing and sustaining a healthy tree canopy. This program is a great way to integrate more tree canopy coverage in existing neighborhoods and is one of the ways the City is working towards it’s goal of increasing Burlington’s tree canopy to 35 per cent by 2060.

• In 2022, the City of Burlington planted over 4,000 trees, with 2,450 trees being planted through Community Supported planting Initiatives.
• In 2023, the City of Burlington planted approximately 3,600 trees, with 2,100 through the City's Street-Side Tree Planting program and 1,500 trees being planted through community supported planting initiatives.

Quotes

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward

“Protecting and improving the natural environment and taking action on climate change is a focus area in the City’s Vision to Focus four-year work plan. The City is committed to using a climate lens for our work. City programs like the Street-Side Tree Planting program are a great way to support this focus area. This program helps us engage residents in a collective way to build a greener and more climate resilient community for today and for future generations.”

Steve Robinson, Manager of Urban Forestry

“A healthy and green community is a top priority for the City and a mature tree canopy is one of the many ways we can work to achieve this goal. Trees not only enhance the aesthetics of our surroundings but also play an important role in improving air quality, regulating temperatures through increased shade and more. Community participation in initiatives like our Street-Side Tree Planting program is a great way to get the community involved in expanding Burlington's urban canopy."

Links and Resources

• www.getinvolvedburlington.ca/urban-forestry
• www.burlington.ca/forestry
• To learn more about Vision to Focus, and review the full 2022-2026 work plan, visit: burlington.ca/vision2focus

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