Video series helps homeowners recognize tree health risks

Trees are critical to preserving and protecting the natural environment. They improve air quality, help retain storm water, provide homes and food for a variety of wildlife, and save energy. And, of course, they help make Calgary the beautiful city it is.

The September snowstorm damaged trees throughout the city to various extents. In some cases, only minor pruning is required to repair the damage. In others, trees are beyond the point of saving and have to be removed.

Video series helps assess damage

While The City of Calgary is not responsible for trees on private property, this video is the first in a series on what to look for when assessing a damaged tree. The video looks at four trees with different types of damage:

• A tree with minimal damage
• A tree with more than 50 per cent breakage
• A tree that lost a central branch critical to its structural integrity
• A tree with an open ‘wound’ and the risk of leaving it as is 

Preventing injury and damage

“No one wants to take a tree down, but sometimes it’s necessary to prevent damage to property or personal injury,” says Anita Schill, registered consulting arborist.

She explains that the health of a damaged tree before the storm is a good indicator of how well it will recover. Its survival also depends on the extent and type of damage, and the impact of damage on the tree’s structure.

Watch the first video:



Submitted by Donna Bertrand, Community Services and Protective Services

Tree debris hits 17 million kilograms and counting

The City of Calgary and residents have worked together to remove 23,219 loads of tree debris, weighing more than 17 million kilograms (17,000 tonnes) over the past three weeks. That would cover a football field about 20 metres deep.

As the volume continues to grow, so too does The City’s resolve to keep all tree debris out of the landfills. Large grinders are currently running full steam to mulch all the incoming debris. 

The mulch will take several months to dry thoroughly and then must be screened before it is ready for use next spring. If the debris weren’t mulched, the tree branches would take up valuable space in the landfills and produce unwanted greenhouse gases and leachate.

“We’re turning the destruction of this storm into something positive,” says Dave Griffiths, director of Waste & Recycling Services. “Our plan is to return the mulch next spring or summer to City parks and trails in communities where trees were damaged. Some of it may also be used in The City’s future green cart composting facility.”

80 per cent of communities cleared

Crews and equipment from Waste & Recycling Services, Parks, Roads, Water Services and Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development continue to work seven days a week to clear communities of tree debris. They have completed debris pick-ups from the streets and back lanes of 182 Calgary communities to date. That’s 80 per cent of Calgary’s 227 communities.

Nico Bernard, manager of The City’s Tactical Operation Centre coordinating the cleanup says, “I am positive that we will be able to do one pass of all communities before the snow flies. This will allow our aerial and ground crews to more effectively address remaining tree hazards and speed up this effort.”

No fees for tree debris until Nov. 9

If your community has yet to be cleared, check the map on Calgary.ca to get an idea of when crews will be in your area. The map is updated daily. 

If you miss the cleanup crews, City landfills will continue to waive fees for debris until Nov. 9. As well, most leaf and pumpkin drop-off locations will continue to accept this type of waste until that date.

Read more about the tree cleanup in Calgary.

Submitted by Donna Bertrand, Tactical Operations Centre