First management period

The first management period spanned from 2018-2022 as it was extended by one year to accommodate global and environmental challenges. This extension of the first management period now aligns the Urban Forest Management Plan with terms of Ottawa City Council, allowing for the priorities of the Plan to be highlighted for each term of Council. For a full review of the first management period, as well the criteria and indicators analysis please refer to the Urban Forest Management Plan Update Report.

Work during the first management period focused on tree protection, data collection, and improving tree protection and retention policy implementation. These themes were covered through first management period projects and work, including the tree by-law review, urban forest canopy cover study, urban forest inventory, and improvements to policy implementation through internal engagement.

The feature project of the first management period was a complete review of the previous tree by-laws and redesign through the development of a new Tree Protection By-law. The new by-law came into effect January 1, 2021 and focuses on tree protection and retention, with special attention placed on infill development scenarios. Key changes and updates to the new Tree Protection By-law include:

• Improved transparency on tree permit process, requirements, and formalized tree compensation guidelines.
• Increased fees for tree permit applications and removals related to infill development.
• Improved protection for privately owned trees in the urban area by reducing the diameter threshold for protection from 50 centimetres to 30 centimetres.
• Earlier consideration of trees and tree protection during the infill development process, allowing for improved tree protection.

Implementation of the Tree Protection By-law has been successful, with staff seeing greater tree retention and consideration for future tree plantings. Staff will continue to implement and monitor the by-law during the second management period, and adjust for any changes as required to reflect the dynamic nature of Ottawa's urban forest.

For more details on the by-law, please check the Tree Protection By-law page. 
 

An urban canopy cover study is a review and analysis of a region’s tree canopy through aerial imagery and light detection and ranging data. When conducted on a semi-regular basis, these studies are valuable tools to understand and better manage the urban forest. A canopy cover study can:

• Establish a baseline dataset to compare urban forest growth overtime.
• Demonstrate the impacts of extreme weather on the urban canopy.
• Characterize how tree canopy can vary across the City.
• Monitor and evaluate the impacts of tree protection actions across the City. 
• Guide plantings and other management actions to improve the urban forest.

The first urban forest canopy study, “A Tree Canopy Assessment for Canada’s Capital Region” was completed during the first management period in 2019, based on 2017 data. The study was a collaborative project by the City of Ottawa, the National Capital Commission, and the City of Gatineau. The 2019 urban forest canopy cover study established that Ottawa’s urban tree canopy covers 31 per cent of the urban area. This data painted a picture of tree canopy cover across the City and helped guide management of the urban forest during the first management period. An interactive canopy cover map is available through the National Capital Commission and the canopy cover data is available for residents to view through Open Data Ottawa and geoOttawa under the “Tree Canopy” layer.

The City of Ottawa, the National Capital Commission, and the City of Gatineau are partnering again to complete the next version of the canopy cover study. The new study will evaluate the same metrics as the last study allowing for an analysis of how the urban tree canopy cover has changed over time. 
 

During the first management period, the City began to inventory of all City-owned and managed urban street and park trees. To date, Forestry staff have completed the inventory of all street trees and have completed an inventory for 90 per cent of park trees. This inventory includes the location and characteristics of over 205,000 City-owned trees.

Knowledge of the urban forest through a tree inventory is a valuable management tool that allow staff to make informed decisions, maintain species diversity, budget resources and time, as well as protect and enhance the existing urban forest. 

To learn more about City of Ottawa’s tree inventory and trees in your neighbourhood, check the dataset on Open Data Ottawa and on geoOttawa under the “Forestry” layer.

One of the goals of the Urban Forest Management Plan’s first management period was to promote a culture of tree protection and internally recognize the value of Ottawa’s urban forest. The first management period saw great progress with the integration of tree protection and growth with other City Services through various policy projects.

One example of this recognition is through policy changes made in the City’s Official Plan. The new Official Plan sets the City’s new urban canopy cover target of 40 per cent and provides policies that direct the equitable protection and growth of the urban forest in a development context. 

Another important policy developed during the first management period was the adoption of a “landscape first” approach in the Zoning By-law. This approach was applied to all neighbourhoods in the Greenbelt and requires a consolidated area of soft landscaping in front yards to provide adequate space and soil volume to retain existing and plant new trees during infill development. This approach will ensure that existing and future canopy of Ottawa’s urban forest is protected. 

Due to the influence of the City’s policies and practices on the urban forest, internal work on promoting trees will continue throughout the entire implementation of the Urban Forest Management Plan.