Town of Oakville

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Trees & Woodlands

Arkendo Park Public information session for Emerald Ash Borer woodlands conservation

A public information session was held Saturday, October 13, 2012, where residents learned how the Town of Oakville is managing Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) to conserve our woodland parks and prevent its spread.

Dead and dying ash trees destroyed by EAB are being removed this fall to ensure your safety. View closure schedule on the temporary woodland park closures page.

Urban forest

The urban forest is made up of all the trees growing in the Town of Oakville, including town-owned street and park trees, trees in forested areas, as well as trees on private property. Trees are an important part of Oakville's urban landscape, and provide a wide variety of social, health, aesthetic, economic and environmental benefits including:

Climate moderation
Air quality improvements
Water conservation
Habitat for birds and other wildlife
Increased property value

The town's Forestry Section manages Oakville's urban forest using a long-term, sustainable strategy of development and maintenance in order to provide a perpetual green cover on public lands. In 2007, the Town of Oakville was named the Forest Capital of Canada by the Canadian Forestry Association.

The Town of Oakville completed an inventory in 2010 to catalogue and map its approximately 138,000 street and park trees. To learn more about the catalogue view the Public Tree Inventory and Map page.

Urban Forest Strategic Management Plan

The Urban Forest Strategic Management Plan for the Town of Oakville 2008-2027 sets out the steps necessary to achieve short, medium and long-term goals for Oakville's urban forest over a 20 year period. Download the 2008 Urban Forest Strategic Management Plan (pdf, 14 MB).

North Oakville Urban Forest Strategic Management Plan

To learn more about Oakville's plan to ensure a sustainable and healthy urban forest for the lands located north of Dundas Street, visit the North Oakville Urban Forest Strategic Management Plan page.

Oakville's Urban Forest Effects Model (UFORE) Report

The Urban Forest Effects Model (UFORE), designed by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, has been used to quantify urban forest structure and numerous urban forest effects in cities worldwide. Over the summer of 2005, approximately 500 residents and businesses participated in the Town's UFORE project. Randomly generated sample plots combined with local pollution and weather data were used to measure the air quality benefits provided by trees, shrubs and other types of vegetation growing throughout Oakville. These benefits were then converted to their economic value.

Open the 2006 UFORE report (pdf, 5.7 MB)