Increasing Oakville’s Tree Canopy

Oakville’s tree canopy is comprises all the trees in town, including public parks, town-owned boulevards, forested areas and trees growing on private property. Currently the canopy coverage in Oakville stands at 27.8%. In an effort to increase this to 40%, the town has created a new program entitled PLANT, an acronym for Please Let’s Add New Trees.

Three Sugar Maple trees, a native species, were recently planted at the Town Hall to launch this new initiative encouraging homeowners to plant trees on their properties. Information about the PLANT program may be found on the town’s website. Oakville residents, forestry staff and environmental groups such as the Oakvillegreen Conservation Association can now add any trees they plant to the ‘tree counter’ on the website. As of May 24th, over 10,000 new trees have been planted by individuals!

LEAF, the Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests, offers a subsidized tree planting program for Oakville residents. The service includes on site advice on appropriate species, planting locations and planting of a 1 to 2 meter tall tree.

Trees and shrubs benefit everyone! They add beauty to all of Oakville’s neighbourhoods and help to increase property values. They clean the air that we breathe and provide shade to cool our homes in the summertime. Trees reduce soil erosion and provide food and habitat for wildlife. They contribute significantly to our town’s livability and the entire community is encouraged to protect, preserve and grow our urban forest. The town of Oakville will also be planting 48,000 trees this year.