ELORA – A huge century-old silver maple on the grounds of the St. Mary Immaculate and St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery took centre stage on Earth Day as five arborists climbed its branches, cut off some dead limbs, reduced the tree canopy, and gave the tree a better chance of continuing its long life.
Bird’s-eye view – Arborists from Baum Tree Care and Full Circle Tree Care spent some time pruning this 100-year-old silver maple on Earth Day.
“It’s the big trees that do the heavy lifting,” said Toni Ellis, executive director of Tree Trust at the event on April 22, adding it takes about 300 saplings to capture the same amount of carbon – 1,100 tonnes – as these big beauties. “That’s why Tree Trust works to sustain these big trees.”
Trees also provide habitat for other creatures, blessed shade in the hot summer, are windbreaks in winter, help hold back stormwater and are a tonic for mental health.
But in urban environments, they have to contend with hydro wires, road salt, heat islands, root compression and other challenges they wouldn’t have to endure in rural settings.
So it’s doubly important to care for the trees we have, Ellis said, especially the mature ones.
And that is why arborists from Baum Tree Care and Full Circle Tree Care were working together on the silver maple. And that is why Scott Giddy, of Giddy Funeral Home, was footing the bill for this pruning job and pledged $2,500 a year for five years to Tree Trust.
Scott Giddy of Giddy Funeral Homes has pledged $2,500 a year for five years to Tree Trust.
Giddy said Ellis made him abundantly aware of the threat to the environment when mature trees are lost, which is why he decided to sponsor the program.
“Seeing the children sing reminds me why we need to be better stewards of the planet,” said Mayor Kelly Linton. “Tree Trust gives us a way to take action – both planting and caring for trees that are so vital to a healthy world.”
Children and parents at the Early ON Centre sang a song about planting trees and arborist Phil Guenter explained that as well as cutting off dead limbs, the plan that day was to trim some of the tree canopy to take some weight off the branches.
Children and parents who attend the EarlyON centre sang some songs at the Earth Day event.
“Our goal is to condense it – take the tips back. Not by much – every cut is a wound for a tree. But it will take some weight off and that will help the tree overall,” he said.
Rob Guthrie led guests on a tree walk – about 20 people attended the event – to inspect and learn about some of the trees at the cemetery.
For more information about Tree Trust and its activities, visit treetrust.ca. Ellis can be reached by email at manager@treetrust.ca or by calling 519-362-9469.
