urban forestry in vancouver, canada

[timhsu87]

Hi,

I am right now still studying forestry in University of British Columbia and I will be graduating this coming year. I am wondering about the difference between urban and "normal" forestry. What kind of work do you do as a urban forester? Are there plenty of jobs available and is it mostly government jobs? I am not sure if there is urban forestry jobs in vancouver, canada. If there is where can I look for them (government websites, parks and rec, etc?)

[SwampDonkey]

About the best site that lists forestry jobs in Canada is the Canadian Forests web site.

http://www.canadian-forests.com/job.html

I don't see any current urban forestry listings there.

[fkarcha]

The largest difference I have noticed is that, as an urban forester, you are working to retain trees.  Hence the focus is on pest management, reducing loss to physical stress, and the what, where, and when of planting new stock.

Most large cities in Canada have an urban forester who works in their Parks branch.  I know for sure that Calgary, Toronto, and Winnipeg do.

[SwampDonkey]

Fredericton, NB does to. They have an intense program in place to maintain the elm trees. About the only city I heard tell of that wants to fight to keep'm instead of talking about it. I think they've managed to protect over 70% of the old elms so far over a 30 year period. They are planting a more diverse mixture of trees now and using strict sanitation methods to rid diseased limbs and trees of elm.

[paulpieter]

The City of Ottawa has a forestry department. Since the City amalgamated with many local townships it has a much larger forestry cover than in the past. From my experience -- I functioned for a couple of years on the City's Greenspace committee -- the city forester was involved with reforestation and management of city property such as parks and tree lines; as well as assisting in developing policies such as the recent tree cutting bylaw. They also assist the City as technical experts in liaisons with various interest groups such as woodlot associations and advocacy groups such as the Greenspace Alliance.

A personal observation is that although there is a trend to get away from invasive species, cities do prefer the hardier trees against pollution and heat etc. such as little leaf linden (basswood member), locust, and Norway Maple that can on the other hand be devastating in a truly indigenous sugar bush.   

[SwampDonkey]

Bur oak is very tolerant of city air pollutants I've read. And it's a nice tree to.  I've not personally seen any Norway maple escape into sugar bushes, although I do see them often on fence rows in towns or vacant building lots growing up like box elder. They aren't as hardy as the sugar maple from what I've seen in this area.

[paulpieter]

Interesting, must be the climate. Here norway maple dominance is pronounced and well documented. Bur Oak does very well around here half way between Ottawa and Prescott --there are many growing wild on my woodlot for example, but I don't see it used in the city. It seems that red is the preferred oak. Oddly enough when I attended a tree identification course in Gatineau Park which is just north of Ottawa across the river, there was not a bur oak to be found, reds yes but no burs. Could it possibly be the soil type? The Gatineaus are precambrian shield, whereas south of the river (here) it is mainly limestone beds with glacial till overburden.

[SwampDonkey]

There is one spot, midway down the boarder with Quebec (north side) it is absent, but follows the south shore all the way through Ontario to the St Lawerence and pretty much straight south from Ottawa to Lakes Michigan and Ontario. We have it back east here to, but it's about wiped out because it was in tiny groups, never seemed to be in great abundance. Mostly now around Grand Lake, but i have seen the odd tree in Carleton County in the Woodstock area. That's were I collect my seed. Going to pot some in March from last falls collections. Forestry Canada gave out seedlings a few years ago to bring awareness. The hares and the moose had something else to eat from what people told me.  Hare will chew oak twigs and bark like candy. :-\