News release

Unbe-leaf-able: Mississauga Receives Tree Cities of the World Designation

Environment | April 26, 2022

The City of Mississauga has received the 2021 Tree Cities of the World designation, joining 138 other cities worldwide in being recognized. The award is on behalf of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation. The City has been recognized for the third year in a row as part of a global network leading the way in urban and community forestry. The program recognizes cities committed to ensuring that urban forests and trees are properly maintained, sustainably managed and celebrated.

“It’s important that we preserve and invest in the health and well-being of our trees. Trees play a critical role in fighting climate change and making Mississauga a livable city. They help improve air quality, reduce stormwater runoff, lower urban temperatures, clean water and provide habitat for wildlife in Mississauga,” said Stefan Szczepanski, Acting Director, Parks, Forestry and Environment. “We’re trying to address the environmental pressures that trees face, like invasive species, urban redevelopment and severe weather events through our Urban Forest Management Plan and Invasive Species Management Plan and Implementation Strategy.”

Mississauga is among 18 Canadian municipalities to receive the designation. To receive the designation, the City met five core standards including:

  • Establishing responsibility for the care of trees
  • Setting rules for managing trees
  • Having an updated inventory of local trees resources
  • Allocating resources for tree management
  • Celebrating achievements for trees

Szczepanski added, “Having many species of trees like Maple, Ash, Spruce, Poplar and Oak trees contribute to the forest’s resistance and adaptability to change. It helps protect our urban forest from becoming vulnerable to damage caused by diseases, invasive species and climate change.”

Mississauga currently has more than 2.1 million trees and is working to plant one million more by 2032, through the One Million Trees program. Since the program started, the City has planted 452,894 native trees and shrubs.

“While our trees have historically shown that they can weather just about anything, ongoing threats like weather events, invasive species like Lymantria dispar dispar (LDD) and Emerald Ash Borer as well as diseases like Oak Wilt are wearing down our trees,” said Brent Reid, Acting Manager, Forestry. “The actions we take now as a city and community will help protect our trees from more damage and maintain their survival.”

This spring, the City will be conducting an aerial spray on public and private lands in Mississauga. The spray will target and manage LDD, formerly known as “gypsy moth,” in affected neighbourhoods. The spray will take place between May 15 to June 12, and is dependent on weather conditions, the emergence of the LDD caterpillars and the development of leaves on trees.

For more information about the City’s One Million Trees program, visit onemilliontrees.ca.

BACKGROUND

The Tree Cities of the World program is an international effort to recognize cities and towns committed to ensuring that their urban forests and trees are properly maintained, sustainably managed and duly celebrated.

For more information about the Tree Cities of the World designation, visit treecitiesoftheworld.org.

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City of Mississauga Media Relations
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