ELORA – Have you ever wondered how to tell if the trees on your property are healthy? There’s a unique opportunity in Elora to learn more about trees called the Tree Inventory Experience.
“What an inventory is, it’s basically just taking in all the data on our urban trees and having access to it on a database so that way they can plan for the future and ensure we have an healthy canopy going forward,” explained Braedon Witt, program manager of the Tree Trust.
The Tree Trust is a program of the Elora Environment Centre and is running the Tree Inventory Experience. Their mandate is to help people protect and maintain the urban tree canopy.
“There are some things you can do as a homeowner,” explained Witt. “You can apply compost which helps with the soil. That will help he tree. But also doing some pruning on a regular basis will maintain that tree throughout its life. It’s always important to look at balance when pruning a tree too so that one side isn’t more stressed than the other.”
If you are planting a new tree, Witt recommends making sure you plant it at the appropriate depth for the tree to ensure it stays healthy.
If you suspect you have a sick tree, he recommends calling in an arborist for a more professional assessment.
There are three more workshops planned for the Tree Inventory Experience:
- Saturday, August 10, 4-6 p.m.
- Thursday, August 29, 7-9 p.m.
- Thursday, September 12, 7-9 p.m.
For more information and to register email programs@treetrust.ca. Enrollment is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Click below to hear Witt inventory a catalpa tree using the criteria taught during the Tree Inventory Experience.
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This catalpa tree in Elora’s Bissell Park is one of the trees used in the Tree Trust’s Tree Inventory Experience. Photo by Kate Stockmann
