OTTAWA FORESTS AND GREENSPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Annual Report for 2004

The Ottawa Forests and Greenspace Advisory Committee (OFGAC) provides advice and guidance to Ottawa City Council to help safeguard the environment of the city through the use of trees, tree cover and greenspace. OFGAC provides input into policies and budgets related to greenspace preservation and the management of urban and rural forests. The committee recommends ways in which the city can meet its greenspace and forest-related objectives as outlined in the Official Plan and other planning documents. OFGAC also promotes public awareness of the role of greenspace and forests in protecting and enhancing quality of life.

Over the past year, OFGAC has worked to have its mandated provision of advice to Council on the importance of trees, forests and greenspace lead to a new way of thinking about planning and development that will conserve one of our greatest natural assets - our trees and forests.

Public interest in Ottawa's urban and rural forests remained high in 2004 with continued concern about tree-cutting incidents, the city's forests, development activities and interest in the proposed Good Forestry Practices in Sensitive Natural Areas bylaw. OFGAC has worked and will continue to work with the city on the development of the Environmental Strategy, the Greenspace Master Plan, a Forest Strategy, and a Biodiversity Strategy all of which are vital components of the Official Plan. These documents are intended to provide the strategic framework for the preservation of tree and forest cover to improve air quality and meet municipal Kyoto targets, and enhance the visual, social and ecological environment of the City. The importance of greenspace and forest cover was a consistent and very important message received during the public consultations on the Official Plan.

Trees, forests and greenspace provide many benefits - a city with a healthy forest is a healthy city. One features that draws people to Ottawa and makes it a wonderful place to live is the abundance of natural features such as tree-lined streets and forests in both the urban and rural areas. The next challenge for the City will be to implement the intent of the Official Plan, especially those statements regarding the protection of the environment, the importance of trees to the landscape and people and the need to maintain and even to increase greenspace and treed lands.

In 2004 OFGAC's mandate was expanded to cover greenspace and the committee's name was changed to reflect that responsibility. Members of OFGAC have incorporated greenspace into the regular activities and workplan. OFGAC activities and accomplishments for 2004 are listed below in accordance with the 2004 workplan: A. Policy and Planning; B. Emerging Issues and Requested Advice; C. Outreach; D. Management.

ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS ACCORDING TO WORKPLAN HEADINGS

A. Policy and Planning

A1 Greenspace Master Plan

• Provided information and comments to city staff developing the Greenspace Master Plan.
• Participated in the drafting of the proposed Good Forestry Practices in Sensitive Natural Areas bylaw, reviewing draft texts of the bylaw, and participating in the many public consultation sessions lead by city staff during the fall of 2003 and winter of 2004.

A2. Land Acquisition through the Municipal Act

• Developed a legal question for the City Solicitor on potential for land acquisition using the Ontario Municipal Act (MA), and presented a motion, based on the Solicitor's response, for use of the MA to the Planning and Environment Committee.
• Motion passed unanimously, accepted by full Council and is now city policy.

A3. Forest Strategy

• Worked with staff to re-draft text for the Good forestry Practices in Sensitive Natural Areas bylaw.
• Participated in one-on-one consultations with members of the public and Councillors to explain the rationale and intent of the proposed bylaw.
• Presentation to Planning and Environment Committee on 27 May advocating passage of the bylaw.
• Note: the bylaw was deferred until after budget 2005 decisions and additional consultation with rural landowners.

A4 Biodiversity Strategy

• No staff activity, so no material on which to comment.

A5. Special Planning Studies

A5.1. Natural Spaces in Urban Places (NSUP)

• Sat on the Technical Advisory Committee for NSUP (formal name is Urban Natural Areas Environmental Evaluation Study), reviewing contractors' progress in evaluating the 186 sites, providing comment on the data collected and input into the wording of the evaluation criteria.

A5.2. Kanata Special Study Area and KNL Lands

• Sat on the advisory committee, meeting with the Ward Councillor, developers, city staff and members of the public (community associations) to develop the proposal for the lands in question. OFGAC's interest was to present recommendations that provided the best protection for ecologically significant land in the area. OFGAC also made a presentation to Planning and Environment on 11 May from that perspective, giving its views on land allocation in the area.

A5.3. Riverside South Community Design Plan

• Sat on the committee, meetings with city staff, developers and consultants on the Riverside South Community Design Plan, and presented comments to P&E. OFGAC members reviewed the Niblett Environmental Report 1992 Update submitted in 2004, and provided written comments and recommendations to city staff. Volunteer field work on site included a detailed inventory of significant trees and wooded areas in the Riverside Community which was presented to the city planner and developer for consideration in planning the entire development. OFGAC identified and succeeded in having three significant woodlots saved and incorporated into the Plan.

A5.4. Leitrim Community Design Plan

• Participated in the workshop for the Leitrim Community Design Plan with the developers and consultant team to develop an urban concept while preserving the natural elements of the site.

A6. Land Trust

• Attended meetings to plan for an Ottawa Land Trust.

Additional Policy and Planning activities and results

• Reviewed the Carp Road Corridor report, and the Community Design Plan for the Village of Carp, and provided comments to city staff.
• Made a presentation to CSED on the staff report of the Surplus Real Estate Disposal Program 2001-2003 recommending that greater attention be paid to the ecological value of land before it is sold to developers.
• Provided comments to staff on the OP Amendment.

B. Emerging Issues and Requested Advice

B1. Review of Development and Zoning Change Proposals

• Received about 85 development applications and provided comments to City planners about 40 of them (a number of these applccations are still "in progress). OFGAC appeared before Planning and Environment Committee to provide comments to Councillors on several developments of particular concern. A detailed list of development proposals which were received and/or reviewed by OFGAC members is on file with the Committee Coordinator.
• Attended a focus group, provided comments and made a presentation to CSED on the On-Time Review Initiative.
• Updated its "trigger" list to facilitate the Planning staff's decisions when to send development and zoning change proposals to OFGAC for review. OFGAC also revised its template (checklist) to improve the quality of its reviews.

B2. Inventories

B2.1. Heritage Trees

• A Heritage Tree Recognition Program is being developed, consultation with other Advisory Committees is in progress and consideration is being given to present it to the City as an Ottawa 150th Birthday initiative.
• Several presentations on heritage trees and urban forestry were made, including one in Vienna, Austria.

B2.2. Heritage Woodlots - To be initiated in 2005 after the Heritage Tree Program is underway.

B3 Management Plans for Community Forests

B3.1. Torbolton Forest

• Community liaison and advice and assistance to City staff.
• Organisation of a community cleanup.

B3.2. Cumberland Forest Activities to be structured under Forest Strategy in 2005

B3.3. Marlborough Forest

• In response to expressed public concerns, recommended creation of a community liaison group.
• Provided advice on the Terms of Reference and other assistance in the formation of the Marlborough Forest Stakeholders Group, to provide input to City staff on the management of the Marlborough Forest. A former OFGAC member has been selected to chair the Stakeholder Group and OFGAC will appoint a liaison member.

B3.4. Carp Hills

• Held one of our monthly meetings in Carp to provide an opportunity for the citizens to voice their concerns regarding the Carp Ridge Escarpment.

B4. Requested advice

• Meeting with the Mayor to review the City's environmental progress and to present OFGAC's environmental, forest and greenspace priorities 6 October 2004
• Provided advice in the form of a presentation to the Health, Recreation and Services and Social Services committee to the proposed Maintenance Quality Standards for Parks, Sports Fields and Trees. OFGAC's perspective was that the Standard's were not sufficiently robust in some areas related to trees and that further work was required. HRSS Committee deferred acceptance of the Standards.
• Sits as a member in the East-West Light Rail Corridor Consultation Project.
• Provided a response to the City staff request to identify training needs for Advisory Committees as follow-up to the 2003 Governance Review.
• Reviewed and provided comments on the draft report on on Air Quality & Climate Change for the City of Ottawa.
• Represented OFGAC at an NCC workshop on Mud Lake to review plans for trail upgrades.

OFGAC members also made presentations to the Planning and Environment; Corporate Services and Economic Development; Health Recreation and Environment; and, Transportation Committees (see Appendix 2 for a complete list).

Other emerging issues

• Sensitive Marine Clay and Trees: OFGAC members reviewed the City's Four-Phase assessment process for the Trees Foundation Damage Assessment policy. Worked with LACAC and Councillor Holmes office to invite City of Montreal's forester to give a seminar on how Montreal deals with the Leda Clay and allegations of tree-caused foundation damage issue.
• Southern Corridor: At the request of the Ward Councillor, OFGAC is participating on a Ward steering committee that will examine options.

C. Outreach

C1. Communications and Publicity

• Provided comment and corrections regarding information appearing in the media in June on trees and pollen and allergies and the Good Forestry Practices in Sensitive Natural Areas bylaw.
• OFGAC and the City obtain free, positive media attention from journalists when OFGAC contacts them on issues related to our mandate and regular activities with respect to trees, forests and greenspace. (e.g. the threat of development to a 140-year old Bur Oak).
• Painted the City Green" to lobby for maintaining and preserving the city's trees, forests and greenspace funding.
• Attended Councillors' Open Houses to meet Ward Councillors and to distribute information on the value of trees and forests, the planting and care of trees and, during Budget 2004-time, to press for the reinstatement of the City's Tree and Greenspace Maintenance budget.
• Held several of our monthly meetings in rural communities, each one with a theme to highlight a local issue (February 2004 in Goulbourn, May in North Gower, and October in Carp). This approach provided residents with an opportunity to address OFGAC on community issues related to trees, forests and greenspace. OFGAC's publicity sub-committee planned and organized the publicity for these three events, by communicating with local groups and contacting local and community papers.
• Attended public meetings on applications for re-zoning, development proposals, zoning and amendments to the OP etc, to obtain community points of view on the proposals that affect trees, forests and greenspace within the city.
• Updated our brochure to reflect the additional responsibility for greenspace.
• Participated in the Ottawa Wildlife Festival by mounting an exhibit at the Carlingwood Mall, along with many other local environmental organizations.

C2. Fall Forum

• Held our 3rd public forum in October, providing residents with a perspective on how the City preserves and maintains greenspace, trees and forests; and highlighting what one local community group is doing to help. The featured speakers were Seaton Findlay, author of Capital Woodlands, Mike Rosen from Tree Canada, Gary Lum of a local community group ECOS and Craig Huff, City of Ottawa Forester.

C3. Networks

• OFGAC's website, is run by an OFGAC member on a volunteer basis. It features regular postings of coming events and items related to Ottawa's trees and forests, a wide range of information on trees and supplements information provided by the City. Links to the city Forestry Services are also included. The site is visited by 2000-3000 people per month and provides people anywhere with a mechanism to contact us and ask questions which we either answer or pass on to City Staff for a response.
• Participated in the campaign to request the federal government to assist municipalities in maintaining and preserving their urban forests. OFGAC prepared a Memorandum to Council regarding the need for a federal role in urban forestry. City Council March 2004, passed the motion to "request the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) to urge the federal government to take a leadership role in promoting, protecting and conducting research into the urban forest". This motion, introduced by the city of Ottawa, was passed at the annual FCM meeting and the Canadian Forest Service is now re-considering its involvement in urban forestry.
• Participated with the Canadian Forestry Service, the Canadian Institute of Forestry, the Eastern Ontario Model Forest, the Canadian Forestry Association, and the City of Ottawa to plan local National Forest Week activities. OFGAC organized walks in local forests during Forest Week. OFGAC also participated in a daylong exhibit for school children and an evening lecture at the Canadian Museum of Nature.
• Was instrumental in the formation of the Canadian Urban Forestry Network of municipal foresters and forest-related groups across Canada. An OFGAC member was invited to the founding meeting in Winnipeg in May and worked with municipal foresters to establish the organisation's framework. This Network's links municipal foresters and forest-related groups in Canada and its aim is to advocate for urban forest strategies and adequate funding to keep trees and cities green. Councillor Clive Doucet provided some of the funds for this trip.
• Maintains regular contact with professional forestry and greenspace related organisations such as the Canadian Institute of Forestry - Ottawa Valley Section, Eastern Ontario Model Forest, and the Canadian Urban Forestry Network.
• Maintains contact with local environmental organizations, such as the Ottawa Field-Naturalists Club, the Fletcher Wildlife Garden, Bog-to-Bog, Friends of Petrie Island, Friends of the Jock River, the Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital and the Rideau Trail Association and the Centretown Tree Committee.
• Attends all EAC meetings to provide communication and co-ordination between the two committees.

C4. Database of Native Trees and Shrubs

• The draft database was peer-reviewed by two professional botanists and is being revised to take their comments into account.

C5. Exotic Pest Management

• Participated in the Exotic Pest Workshop and provided expert advice to city staff.

D. Management

D1. Committee Management, Activities to Run the Committee

• Preparation of monthly meeting agendas, review of meeting minutes prior to distribution to OFGAC members, assignment of tasks to members as requests for assistance are received.
• Development of workplans and annual reports.
• Presentations to Council Standing Committees on issues.
• EAC/OFGAC 2004 environmental results report card - began joint work to evaluate the environmental impact of Council decisions.

D2 Committee Member Recruitment and Retention

• The Chair participated in two Advisory Committee information sessions held at City Hall to inform the public about the role that ACs play in the City governance process.
• The Chair and Vice-Chair reviewed the CVs of potential OFGAC members during the fall recruitment process and the Chair participated with two Council members in the interview process to select new members.

Appendix 2. Reports and presentations to City Standing Committees in 2004

Planning and Environment Committee

• Resolution on value of trees in regard to the Kyoto Protocol 27 January.
• 149 Constance Creek Road rezoning 24 February.
• 2004 budget review with recommendations to ensure allocations for Official Plan implementation, environmental policy and the retention of funds for forests and trees maintenance.
• Comments on proposed 2004 budget cuts March 9.
• Strategy for the acquisition of community greenspace under the provisions of the Ontario Municipal Act, 13 April.
• KNL Lands and 300 and 535 Goulbourn Forced Road (Kanata - Kizzell Pond etc) Official Plan amendment, rezoning and subdivision plans 11 May
• Good Forestry Practices bylaw 27 May
• Downtown Design Review Pilot Project Report 14 September
• 361 Monterey Drive rezoning and site plan 14 September
• Goulbourn Wetland: rezoning 28 September 2004
• On-Time Review Initiative 28 September
• Draft Good Forestry Practices in Sensitive Natural Areas Bylaw 26

• Budget 2004 comments January
• Surplus Real Estate Disposal Program Report for 2001-2003 15 June
• Budget 2005 19 October

• Maintenance Quality Standards - Parks, Sports Fields and Trees 4 November.

Transportation Committee

• Capital Standards Review 4 February

City Council

• Memorandum on the Use of City Green to measure canopy cover in Ottawa September.

Public and Academic Presentations
(texts not available until after academic publication)

• Trees with a Past: Towards a History of Ottawa's Urban Forest. Ottawa Historical Association. 28 October.
• Situating Trees in the Urban Landscape: Ottawa, 1900-1930. Woodlands-cultural Heritage: International Conference on Forest and Woodland History. IUFRO 6.07.00. Vienna, Austria. 3-4 May
• An 'Overabundance of Shade'? the History of Ottawa's Trees. Annual General Meeting of the Ontario Urban Forest Council. Toronto. 5 October.

Appendix 3 - Historical Background

In November 2001, OFGAC submitted its workplan for the year 2001-2002. It identified three long-term goals:

• A comprehensive Ottawa Forests Plan
• Tree and vegetative cover for the city which is appropriate in species mix and varied according to location
• Dynamic and effective partnerships for the development and conservation of Ottawa forests and tree cover.

In 2002-2003 OFGAC continued to work toward these goals dividing its activities into four themes,

• Planning and Policies (the Official Plan and its supplementary documents)
• Inventory (the city's tree and forest resource base)
• Management Prescriptions and
• Tools for Implementation.