North Battleford to map health of 14,000 city-owned trees through new inventory

By the end of the project, city staff are expected to have access to a digital inventory that can be updated directly from the field, allowing them to track individual trees and monitor their condition over time.

“The good thing about this project, you will also indicate the health of every single tree,” Director of Parks and Recreation Cheryl DeNeire.

“And so we will be able to assess the status of that tree without having to go up and look at it.”

DeNeire said forestry staff will be able to input information directly into the system from their phones, helping keep records current.

The inventory will focus on city-owned trees rather than those on private property.

She said there are approximately 35,000 trees within North Battleford’s boundaries, including about 14,000 owned and maintained by the city.

Mayor Kelli Hawtin noted the broader value of understanding the city’s overall tree canopy, including trees located on private land.

“But it’s an interesting question, though, because when you talk about urban forest and percentage of canopy cover, only taking into account city trees is really not taking into account the full capture of the urban forest,” Hawtin said.

DeNeire said canopy calculations already consider the entire city, but property lines will be used to distinguish which trees fall under municipal responsibility.

“Because it’s the health of our trees that we have to manage, and not the health of someone’s trees on their own property,” she said.

The completed inventory is expected to give city staff a clearer picture of the size, location and condition of municipal trees, while helping guide future maintenance and management decisions.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

North Battleford to map health of 14,000 city-owned trees through new inventory

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