What is the Urban Forest and Why is it Important?
The urban forest describes all trees within the geographic City of Fredericton. This includes forests, natural areas, parks, private lands, and street areas. The urban forest cools the City with increased canopy cover, cleans the air that we breathe, reduces rainwater runoff, and improves both our mental and physical health.
Cities are home to more Canadians than any other type of settlement and the urban forest will become increasingly important as the City continues to grow.
- Forests are mostly tree covered areas with a high canopy and the highest tree density. These areas produce the greatest stormwater capture, air cooling and pollution removal.
- Parks and open spaces contain less trees and more grassed or natural areas.
- Street trees provide cooling effects through shade, capture stormwater before it lands on the street and collect emissions from cars. The lifespan of street trees is often shorter as their soil is confined by the sidewalk and road, and crucial water is redirected into storm drains.
What is Threatening the Urban Forest?
The largest threats to our urban forest include changes in temperature, rain, snow, and extreme storms due to climate change and the spread of disease or invasive species.
- Boreal species like the balsam fir, aspen and paper birch are the most susceptible to recent changes in climate and are not expected to thrive beyond 2100.
- Dutch elm disease has infected white elm in Fredericton since 1960 infiltrating the tree’s root systems.
- The emerald ash borer is a recent threat to the city that emerged in 2021. This small beetle severely damages living tissue of the ash tree trunk leading to its death.
Urban Forest Strategy
The City of Fredericton developed the Urban Forest Management Strategy to establish an operational approach to managing the urban forest, develop strategies to build resilience, and balance the urban forest with City growth. This strategy is an effort to ensure the city is a great place to live both now and in the future.
The Parks & Trees division works diligently to preserve our urban forests and is working on several initiatives including:
- Planting of new trees and species that are better adapted to the changing climate.
- Treating and removing infected trees by the emerald ash borer and Dutch elm disease.
- Partnering with community groups on large scale tree planting efforts.
- Reducing lawn mowing to restore key habitats for pollinator populations.
You can read the complete Urban Forest Management Strategy Here!
To see more maps of Fredericton and learn more about urban forests and their components, please visit our Story Map!