We need more trees in Calgary!

Riley Park is a great example of how trees can improve the quality of life in neighbourhoods in Calgary.

Calgary's urban tree canopy is in decline

Even though we're trying to double the current 8% coverage to 16% over the next 25 years, the city's own data shows things are going down, not up. Calgary’s tree canopy coverage doesn’t rank well against other prairie cities; Edmonton’s is just over 13%, Winnipeg is at 17%, and other Canadian cities are as high as 30%. And trees aren't just a nice thing to have. They cool our streets, absorb stormwater, clean our air, support wildlife and pollinating insects, and create places where people actually want to spend time.

How we can increase the urban tree canopy

So how do we get our tree coverage on track? We rewild and plant trees in unused greenways, turning grass strips into biodiverse corridors. We plant urban orchards, including fruit trees, to support community connection and local food access. We enforce developer tree planting requirements, so there's no more clear cutting without actually bringing in more trees.

Enforcing developer tree planting requirements on new builds where trees are often removed is just one way to improve action on increasing Calgary’s tree canopy. (Image source: The Sprawl)

And as for the downtown core: it deserves to be treated like any other neighborhood, receiving amenities like trees and parks that make life great for all the people that call it home.

We need to start prioritizing our trees as infrastructure

Calgary’s tree canopy is still recovering from 2014’s “Snowtember” event. (Image source: CBC News)

If we're serious about climate resilience and building a livable city, we need to treat trees as infrastructure, instead of an afterthought. And just for the record, my favorite kinds of trees are trembling aspens and basically any kind of pine.

Where would you like to see more trees?

Share where you’d like to see more trees planted in your neighbourhood using my Ward 7 Listening Tour maps for each neighborhood. I’d love to learn about how you want to see a greener city.