Preserving and Celebrating Significant Trees
Every community has a unique and notable cultural history which is inextricably linked to the natural history and form of the current landscape. Through my work as a Landscape Architect, Arborist, and student, I have gained an appreciation and passion for the urban forest in the Town of Cobourg where I live and work. In the summer of 2010 I carried out an internship for my Master of Forest Conservation (MFC) at the University of Toronto (U of T) with the Town of Cobourg. I worked with the Town’s Urban Forester, Rory Quigley, to collect data such as tree species, size, and condition to update the Town’s municipal Geographic Information System (GIS) tree database. This experience gave me a good sense of the diversity of the urban forest, an appreciation of the work the Town has been doing over the years to maintain and enhance the urban forest, and an idea of the challenges that they are continually faced with in managing this resource. Following this internship, I continued to focus on the urban forest in one of the heritage conservation districts which is known for its stately homes and mature tree-lined streets. I used this neighbourhood as the study area for many of my research papers and assignments including an Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan.
To read the entire paper link is here: Gina Brouwer (Cobourg’s Heritage Canopy)