The aftermath of the ice storm and major power outages: I won’t tell you about our lack of resilience in the face of these bad weather conditions, which are likely to recur more regularly in the future. Nor will I talk about our collective and individual distress when the breakdown lasts beyond 24 hours. Or our propensity to systematically try to find the culprits for these long periods without energy to power all our electronic gadgets. I rather want to talk to you about the urban forest.
During this ice storm, the memory of 1998 came to us. We saw again the images of the pylons which collapsed, but also of these majestic trees which twisted and shattered under the weight of the accumulated ice. This time, no breakage for the eclectic giants, but our trees suffered again. Our urban forests have suffered and, even today, we see the damage caused by the climate everywhere.
Let’s talk about the climate. The enhancement and preservation of the urban forest is an essential response to mitigating the effects of global warming. It plays a crucial role for the well-being of citizens in the city, whether through small woodlots, micro-forests, groupings of trees in green spaces or street trees. It is also a valuable refuge for biodiversity, hosting a multitude of animal and plant species.
It should be added that these many urban trees contribute to temperature regulation and the reduction of urban heat islands. Not to mention that these trees sequester carbon and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In short, urban forests contribute to limiting the increase in global temperatures and to the adaptation of cities in the face of climate change.
However, these urban forests face many challenges. Urban sprawl, habitat fragmentation, pollution, invasive species and weather storms are all factors that put these precious ecosystems at risk. It is therefore crucial to put in place measures to protect and enhance these urban trees. This is where the concept of urban forestry comes into play, which brings together the activities of planning, preservation, enhancement and planting of trees in the city.
Its role within the local governments is to integrate the urban forest into the planning and development of the territory. For example, it can help to take into account green spaces and ecological corridors when designing new urban projects, in order to guarantee the continuity of habitats and favor the movement of fauna and flora.
It is still necessary to have the necessary resources to implement such a plan. This is where the shoe pinches, because such an achievement requires specialized expertise, sufficient manpower and significant expenditure of money. Again, cities are not equal in this area.
Although large cities have good expertise in the field, medium and small cities do not have the required internal knowledge. This is why they must develop the habit of calling on researchers to help them. Moreover, Laval University has set up the Research Chair on the Urban Tree and its Environment (CRAUM). For its part, UQAM has its Urban Forest Research Chair. Another avenue could also be the creation of interurban communities of practice to develop and pool expertise.
Another important problem is the lack of labor availability. It is already difficult for large cities to have the number of pruners and horticultural workers required, so imagine the others. Admittedly, private companies can meet occasional needs, but the development and preservation of the urban forest requires regular maintenance. Otherwise, this is where the trees become vulnerable and more easily damaged during storms like the one we experienced last week. It will be necessary to think of solutions of interurban pooling of resources there too.
Let’s talk about public funds now. Of course, you have to be able to pay for expertise and labour. However, the central problem mainly concerns the financing of the planting of trees and their maintenance. While the construction of sidewalks and streets can be financed by borrowing, trees must be paid for in cash. Unless this cost is included in the financing of a street or park construction project, for example. All this because the tree is not considered as an infrastructure and cannot be capitalized according to the accounting rules in force.
As a result, local governments have more financial flexibility and capacity to invest in asphalt than in trees. These are however not only decorations in our streets, they are fundamental infrastructures increasing our capacity to face the climatic challenges. They improve citizens’ quality of life as much, if not more, than any other infrastructure. So, if we want to be able to meet this immense challenge by protecting and enhancing the urban forest, we will finally have to solve this financial problem for Quebec municipalities. This is a task that seems to me to be a priority for the renewal of the next fiscal pact between Quebec and the municipalities.