Wednesday morning, four bur oaks in the Champlain Park neighbourhood of Kitchissippi Ward were officially marked as heritage trees by Forestry Ontario as part of an initiative to grant 150 trees heritage designation in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary. The ceremony noted the importance of honouring natural heritage, especially in a nation such as our own, which is known for its natural resources.
The ceremony began at Steve and Kay Kot’s Cowley Avenue residence where Rob Keen from Forestry Ontario attached a heritage plaque to the Kot’s 180-year-old bur oak. Keen spoke about the importance of recognizing these “biological monuments” as part of the project to protect our urban forest. The Kot family, who moved into their home in 1957, shared the important role this tree has played in their lives. Debra Huron of the Champlain Oaks Project was present – dressed festively in a bur oak costume – and urged the crowd to become more knowledgeable about the trees that surround us. The ceremony then moved on to Daniel Ave., where three more bur oaks were honoured, all ranging between 150 and 200 years old.
As many of you have noticed, selected trees along the Byron Linear Park have been marked with red x’s. These trees are slated for removal and that should be happening shortly, if it’s not already underway.
The big question that we’ve been getting is, of course, “when will they be replanted?!”
Good news! We’ve received word that replanting is expected to take place this upcoming fall. We appreciate your patience and understanding while our Forestry department takes on this mammoth task across Ottawa.
Thanks to Tina Casey for providing the photo for this post.
