Record tree planting in Montreal
More than 53,000 trees were planted in Montreal in 2022, an absolute record since the creation of the urban forest program. About 19,000 were planted by the City on public property, 15,000 on private land with the help of subsidies and more than 18,000 in natural environments.
“Increasing our urban forest also means better adapting our territory to flooding by contributing to the absorption of rainwater”, underlines the person in charge of large parks within the administration of Montreal, Caroline Bourgeois.
She ensures that special emphasis has been placed on planting in sectors with heat islands or presenting a certain vulnerability.
SOVERDI, a non-profit organization that works in greening, was also delighted with the results of 2022. “It’sa strong and necessary involvement of the whole community to adapt to the change in order to make the city more resilient, equitable and pleasant to live in”, celebrates the general manager, Malin Anagrius.
Because of the emerald ash borer, more than 11,000 ash trees have been felled in the city's natural environments. Added to this number are 2,883 ash trees in the public domain, twice as many as in 2021.
This report encourages the City to consider tree mortality linked to this disease as “under control” for now.
More than 900 trees also fell during the ice storm. The authorities estimate that it will take several more years for certain sectors to regain their canopy.
