Vancouverites invited to 'adopt' street trees to help them grow

In an effort to help young trees thrive, Vancouver residents are being invited to “adopt” a local street tree and water it during the dry summer months.

“It’s no secret that Vancouverites including myself are passionate about their trees,” said Vancouver park board commissioner Tom Digby at the launch of the Adopt a Tree program on Monday.

“Every tree in Vancouver is critical to our wellbeing and the wildlife that we share with our city,” he continued. “Trees clean the air that we breathe, they capture carbon, they provide habitat, they filter pollutants from the rain and they absorb heavy rainfall throughout the city, they keep neighbourhoods cooler.”

The City of Vancouver is hoping to increase its urban tree canopy to 30 per cent coverage by 2050, so it's enlisting residents to make sure the new trees being planted are being taken care of.

Digby said Vancouver is home to more than 160,000 street trees, and the city plants about 2,000 more every year.

“Young trees that are established are crucial to the health and longevity of our urban forest,” said Don Morrison, the park board’s supervisor of urban forestry.

He added that crews do water street trees during the summer, but extra watering will help. Moreover, he said that over-watering the trees is not a concern.

“Any moisture for trees in their first couple of years is essential because their root mass is really so fine,” he explained, as opposed to more mature trees that can better withstand drought periods.

People who want to adopt a tree can choose one from this map. All were planted within the last three years, and therefore require more attention. 

Participants are asked to water their tree between June and September during dry spells, when it hasn’t rained for at least four days. The park board recommends two methods: using a watering bag or a bucket with holes in the bottom. A video demonstration on how to water your tree is available online.

“Taking care of trees is easy,” Morrison said. “The best time to water is in the morning or evening so water doesn’t evaporate too quickly in the heat of the day.”

Tree adoptees can sign up online or in person at Brittania Community Centre on Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Hillcrest Aquatic Centre on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Killarney Community Centre on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Watering bags will be provided while supplies last.