July 6, 2023
Please note that a crew is currently working on removing four trees along the entry/driveway of the 440 River Road site in St. Vital. The removal is part of the River Road Housing Development Project.
Work is expected to take place this week and members of the community may notice as they arrive or depart from 440 River Road. The trees being removed are not in good condition and will be replaced with new trees as part of this project.
If you would like to learn more about this removal and the landscaping plan for River Road Housing Development, please read the Q&A below with Arborist and Landscape Designer Stephen Muirhead.
What kind of trees will be removed, and where are they located?
“St.Amant will remove four trees on the north side of St.Amant roadway as part of the River Road Housing Project. Three trees are Green Ash trees, and the other is an American Elm tree. None are in good condition and showing signs of stress.”
Why are the trees being removed?
“Four trees will be removed due to the combination of the new housing development and their current condition. One is in poor condition and failing; the other three show signs of urban stress.
These four trees are at risk of Dutch elm disease and Emerald Ash Borer, a highly invasive and destructive insect that kills Ash trees.”
Are these trees publicly owned?
“No, all trees are located on St.Amant property and are not publicly owned.”
Are there plans to replace the trees? If so, when?
“St.Amant will plant 35 new deciduous trees on the property (trees that lose all of their leaves for part of the year) and 11 coniferous trees (for example pine trees). We will also plant a small poplar grove between the parking lot and the new driveways. Trees will be planted throughout the entire property; trees that grow quite quickly to ensure we have that canopy coverage.”
What is the importance of working with a certified arborist or landscape architect for tree removal?
“The importance of working with a certified arborist or landscape architect to coordinate tree removal or protection is to assess the validity of salvaging or spearing the tree.
This means finding opportunities or moving different developing components away from that root zone or where we often see preemptive pruning, removing branches that may impact developments or, in some cases, even root pruning to actually sheering back the root zone a little bit to allow for, say, a new walkway or driveway to be installed a bit close to that, but giving the tree a chance to recover and put its energy into new growth in the years building out or leading up to development.
The goal is to maintain the healthy urban canopy whenever possible and do the best to ensure that we have a great mature canopy for the next generation.”
Stephen is a Landscape Designer at SCATLIFF + MILLER + MURRAY visionary urban design + landscapes.
Stephen holds the titles of:
- B.Env.D. (Bachelors of Environmental Design)
- M.L.Arch (Masters of Landscape Architecture)
- Manitoba Arborist certification from the University of Manitoba