Support for urban forestry and management of the Emerald Ash Borer
WHEREAS over 80% of Canadians now live in urban areas and have come to rely on the environmental, ecological and economic benefits of urban forests; and
WHEREAS the health of Canadians is sustained by their urban forests which provide services through improving air quality, cooling city streets and buildings, acting as a windbreak, shading from harmful UV rays, and filtering storm water, as well as beautifying our communities; and
WHEREAS neither the federal nor provincial governments currently include urban forestry in their mandates except in a limited role with respect to exotic, invasive pests; and
WHEREAS the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has not been able to stop the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer throughout Ontario and Quebec; and
WHEREAS the Emerald Ash Borer is expected to cost Canadians over $2 Billion dollars in treatment and replanting; and
WHEREAS Canadian forestry programs and research are solely focused on industrial forests and do not at present include urban tree planting, appropriate species research, and insect control and management; and
WHEREAS other jurisdictions such as the United States Forest Service and the European Urban Forestry Research and Information Centre include urban forestry as a program and research area; and
WHEREAS Canada engages municipalities in a number of substantial infrastructure programs;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association call on the Federal and Provincial Governments to take leadership roles in recognizing the need to support urban forestry by establishing urban forestry mandates and programs which include funding assistance to municipalities for the control and management of the Emerald Ash Borer - and any future significant imported diseases and insects - as well as the creation and funding of programs designed to support the on-going sustainable management of urban forests.
Adopted by the membership: April 2011
