Trees Trees Trees!

By John Towndrow

Who hasn’t felt deep gratitude for the cool shade of a lovely old tree on a hot summer day! The parking spot under a tree canopy is always the first to be taken and even cows
in a field can be seen huddled under the trees to get out of the hot sun.

In our city, many of our streets are lined with trees for their beauty and to keep the neighborhoods cooler and provide a pleasant experience for everyone, as well as provide habitat and food for wildlife. Research shows that trees have positive impact on our mental health.

Tree Planting Day

Some good news! Cornwall is planning a day when over 200 trees will be planted across the city on May 14, starting at 2:00 pm and they are looking for volunteers. The project is made possible through the support of the Green Municipal Fund’s – Growing Canada’s Community Canopies Fund. The planting will aim to increase the tree canopy on municipal lands and cool neighbourhoods while supporting Cornwall’s climate action plan. Please contact Lynn Macdonell at: [email protected] for details on locations and how you can help.

Street Trees

In addition, the City of Cornwall plants a wide selection of tree species during the spring and fall. The tree planting list contains varieties best suited to grow in urban conditions. Residents can request to have a specific type of tree planted on the municipal right-of- way in front of their home free of charge. City staff make the final choice based on tree form, site space, overhead utilities, and the soil type in that particular area. (Details are on the City website – www.cornwall.ca)

Tree Care

The City relies on residents to help with the care of young trees and instructions can be found on the city website. Watering young trees for the first couple of years is the key to their health. Residents are asked not to prune the tree as it can leave wounds that significantly increase the susceptibility of your tree to disease. Here is an example of a street tree that has been improperly pruned by someone – probably on the misguided belief that it will keep it from growing large. This tree may even have to be replaced.

This brings up an issue that still seems to be common in Cornwall – that of topping trees. Homeowners may feel that a large tree poses a risk to their property; however topping is not a viable method of height reduction and may increase risk in the long term. Here are examples of the right and wrong way to prune trees. For more information: Why Topping Hurts Trees at
isa-arbor.com (Images are used with permission from the International Society of Arboriculture.)

Cornwall Commemorative Tree Planting Program

The City also has a Commemorative Tree Planting program whereby, for a fee, they will plant a tree on public land in memory of someone or for a special celebration or occasion. You can simply have a tree planted or you can include a plaque with an inscription. Here is an example of a grove of trees planted in Lamoureux Park for a dear friend Angus McLeod. For more information see the city website.

Pawpaw Trees

Finally, Transition Cornwall+ still have a couple of pawpaw tree seeds to give away that are ready to be planted. When mature they have a delicious fruit like a mango. Examples can be seen in the Tiny Forest@the Library. Send us a note at [email protected] if you would like one.

Happy Spring Planting!