Armitage Village is home to many beautiful Norway Maple trees

Armitage Village is home to many beautiful Norway Maple trees. These trees were once an excellent choice for any landscape for their beauty.  Native to Europe, Norway maple was introduced to North America around 1756. By the 1800s, Norway maple was a favourite ornamental tree in North America. Tolerant of pollution and drought, by the mid 20th century it was the most frequently planted in towns and cities.

Many Norway Maples in our neighbourhoods have grown to the point where they have developed a problem with girdling roots, in essence, the trees strangle themselves over time and die. The trees shallow aggressive root system competes with lawn grasses and can lead to surface roots.  The shallow roots can heave sidewalks which is often seen around the Armitage Village area like Savage Road.

Our arborist has trimmed, excavated and removed many roots in these trees in an effort extend their life. Most of the damage occurs underground which makes it difficult to resolve without hurting the tree. A healthy tree requires healthy roots, and today there are innovations to help prevent root girdling at the time the tree is at the propagation stage before it is planted. The key is to encourage the root to grow laterally.

It is unfortunate to see so many beautiful trees go but sometimes it is necessary for the safety of our residents to remove them and replant. To ensure the preservation of our trees, we strive to replace any tree that has been removed. Tree planting takes place twice a year. The first planting will take place in the spring for trees that were cut down in the fall/winter. The second planting will take place in the fall for trees removed in the spring/summer. We will also remove the stump based on the planting schedule.

It is important to note that before a tree is removed "NOTICE Tree Removal" is delivered to the home and identifies the reason. If you have had a tree removed from your property and did not receive a notice I would like to hear from you.

Tree Preservation, Protection, Replacement and Enhancement Policy

By working together, sharing information, ideas and being engaged in our community, we can achieve results for Ward 6 together.