The communities of Rocky Ridge and Royal Oak have been chosen to participate in the NeighborWoods Program. This is an initiative by the City of Calgary Park which provides citizens with an opportunity to play a greater role in the growth and preservation of Calgary’s urban forest. Citizens are asked to become Tree Stewards who care for newly planted trees on City boulevards and back-of-walk areas.
What is the urban forest? The urban forest includes all trees and shrubs growing in parks, river valleys, roadways, commercial and private lands, either planted or naturally occurring.
How does the NeighbourWoods program work?
The City will:
- Provide trees to be planted.
- Prepare a planting site for the trees.
- Provide tree care information and a free 45-minute training session for the residential tree steward.
- Help with the planting process.
- Provide a treegator watering bag for gradual water release.
- Provide extended healthcare and maintenance (including pruning) to the trees.
Registered residents are responsible for:
- Attending a 45-minute training session on how to properly plant and care for new trees.
- Planting the tree(s) and choosing a species.
- Watering and monitoring the tree(s) for pests and diseases.
- Informing Parks, by contacting 311, of any issues or concerns – including pruning requests.
- Paying a $30 participation fee per tree.
- All new trees will be owned by The City and will be planted on City property.
This is a great initiative to take on as a family, as a school, community group or individual. Every member community is encouraged to plant 100 trees, imagine the difference that would make to our neighborhood.
Call 311 for more information or to sign up, please visit: http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pages/Programs/Tree-planting/Neighbourwoods-FAQ.aspx
Also, there is an information session on February 21, 2014 from 7pm – 8pm at the Ranch Center
