Last Updated on February 22, 2022 by Showrooms Online
Tree Protection and Renovations
Any home construction that will potentially impact a tree in your yard may require a Tree Protection Plan as part of the permit application. The plan needs to be prepared by an arborist or in consultation with an arborist. The cost is significant and needs to be a line item, if applicable, in your renovation budget.
The City of Toronto, for example, has very clear bylaws on what is required to avoid damage to trees during construction. The potential penalties for violations are severe. Tree protection and renovations go hand in hand.
Permits and Tree Protection
“All construction-related applications must include a Tree Protection Plan that shows details of tree protection, prepared in conjunction with an arborist report or in consultation with an arborist when protected trees are in proximity to the proposed work.”
The link above takes you to a City of Toronto webpage that provides everything you need to know. Your local bylaws will be similar and will need to be part of a permit application, regardless of where you live.
The protection required applies to the TPZ (tree protection zone) which protects the extended area of the roots from all sorts of possible damage. The enclosure required is detailed, activities prohibited around the tree and required signage is specified. Specifications for construction near trees.
Planning for a renovation that extends the building into your yard starts with contacting an arborist.
The Great Benefits of Trees
Just search “trees are important”. Trees in your yard will greatly enhance the value of your property as well as add a whole host of other benefits. Lake Simcoe Region, conservation authority, top 5 benefits of trees.
We live in Innisfil, Simcoe County and are surrounded by a forest of trees with a creek running through the middle of our yard on the way to Cook’s Bay. We enjoy the pleasures of nature every day, summer and winter. The trees also attract a steady stream of wildlife.
Innisfil Beach Park
Innisfil, Simcoe County boasts one of the best public parks in Ontario with picnic facilities, walking trails and swimming beaches. You can enjoy the trees and the water of Lake Simcoe at Innisfil Beach Park, year round. A recent warm day in Feb 2022 opened the creek at Innisfil Beach Park and 150 ducks found the water.
“There are so many benefits to planting trees in your yard, so let’s start with the seasons. One of the first rules of landscape design is that the design should look beautiful at any time of year.”
Benefits of Trees in Your Landscape
Thermal Mass Saves Energy , and so does the natural shade from trees.
(a previous blog)
