The Urban Forest

Trees and woodlands throughout our community are an essential component of our urban infrastructure contributing to a high quality of life in Richmond Hill. All trees and woodlands, whether on public or private land, represent the urban forest. Collectively, they help make our community healthy and resilient in countless ways including cleaning the air and water, reducing flood risk, conserving energy, cooling the air and increasing property values.

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Urban forest stats and facts

How many trees are in Richmond Hill? What are the most common species? How old are they? Check out the fact sheets below, which use findings from our 2022 Urban Forest Study to answer these types of questions:

Benefits of the Urban Forest

Health of the Urban Forest

Threats to the Urban Forest (Invasive Species)

What is the City doing to protect the Urban Forest?

Richmond Hill has been recognized as a Tree City of the World since 2020 by The Arbor Day Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for being committed to growing and maintaining our urban forest.

The City has a strong foundation of caring for trees and woodlands in the community. Over the next 20 years, Richmond Hill will experience unprecedented growth, and at the same time, we are forecasted to experience more extreme weather and changes in climate. To prepare, the City completed its first Urban Forest Management Plan in 2020, which will guide urban forest work until 2040.

Richmond Hill regularly monitors the urban forest through an Urban Forest Study, which helps us better understand how to manage this valuable resource, to learn more visit the link below.

Richmond Hill's Urban Forest Management Plan

Our Plan builds on a strong foundation of urban forest management in Richmond Hill and provides a comprehensive approach for managing our urban forest. It assists us in prioritizing efforts and identifies opportunities for improvement by streamlining workflows, leveraging technology and innovation, and optimizing resources.

Read the Urban Forest Management Plan.

Vision

"Richmond Hill and its urban forest grow and thrive together, each contributing to the health and vitality of the other."

Goals

Build knowledge to make wise decisions
Plan and protect to preserve canopy cover
Strengthen the urban forest to increase resilience
Grow partnerships to strengthen stewardship

These goals which are supported by objectives and 41 actions respond to the changes the City will face over the next two decades.

The City’s Urban Forest Management Plan was developed with the recognition that Richmond Hill has a strong foundation of urban forest management. Many approaches, policies and practices necessary to reach our goals have already been put into place, including :

A block pruning and inspection program which helps to ensure the long-term health of City trees
The award-winning Community Stewardship and Healthy Yards Programs, which aim to grow and maintain trees on public and private lands, respectively
By-laws that protect large and/or historically significant trees
The Emerald Ash Borer Management Program, which aims to minimize impact on urban trees caused by the emerald ash borer and mitigate risk to the community
The incorporation of urban trees and woodlands into corporate asset management planning which allows the City to make fiscally responsible decisions about City trees

The City has also forged valuable partnerships with the community, businesses, agencies, non-profit organizations, and other levels of government.

Urban Forest Study

The City of Richmond Hill conducts an urban forest study in partnership with York Region every 10 years. The study assesses the the health and growth of the urban forest in Richmond Hill and helps to track the progress of the Urban Forest Management Plan.

Key findings

Richmond Hill's urban forest is made up of approximately 2.96 million trees on public (25 per cent) and private (75 per cent) property
Canopy cover has increased by 5% since 2012 and is now approximately 30%
The city's urban forest is young and not very diverse. The top three species - eastern white cedar, European buckthorn and eastern white pine - make up 39% of the tree population.
More than 70% of trees are considered small at less than 15cm diameter in trunk size
12 of Richmond Hill's 20 most abundant trees are highly vulnerable to climate change, including the top 5 tree species in Richmond Hill.

You can find links to the Urban Forest Study Fact Sheets at the top of this page.

How you can help plant and care for trees

Richmond Hill’s urban forest is a shared asset that everyone has a role in protecting and growing. There are many ways you can contribute.

In the community

Volunteer to plant and care for trees on City property through the Community Stewardship Program
Report fallen or damaged City trees on public property to Access Richmond Hill at access@richmondhill.ca, by phone at 905-771-8800 or through our online customer service portal.

At home

Purchase native trees, shrubs and wildflowers for your property at a subsidized cost through the Healthy Yards Program.
Take advantage of low cost, full service or do-it-yourself tree planting options through our partners at LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests).
Take care of your trees! Healthy, mature trees are essential partners in sustainability, helping to clean and cool the air, absorb and filter water, and provide food and habitat for wildlife.

Access Richmond Hill

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