| dc.description.abstract | Several cities in Ontario and across Canada were contacted regarding their tree
pruning programs. Of the ten from Ontario that responded, seven had a cyclical tree
pruning program. Annual budgets ranged from $50,000 up to $2.2 million with an
average being $739,000. Pruning cycles ranged from five-to-ten years. Most pruning
was conducted year round and most cities relied on both city staff and contractors. Most
of the cities started up a cyclical tree pruning program in order to reduce maintenance
costs and improve tree health. The downsides when reported were mainly the cost of the
program, inconsistent pruning standards from staff and contractors, and dealing with
complaints from residents. However, the benefits far outweighed the costs and it is
recommended that Thunder Bay should adopt a cyclical tree pruning program as
recommended in the Urban Forest Management Plan for Thunder Bay (Davey Resource
Group, 2011). | en_US |
