City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/171276
Rick Harper: It's been over 12 years since I have been in Thunder Bay and we have seen each other in person, Shelley. How have things changed since 2000? Shelley Vescio: You may remember that my position was part-time back then, but the following year (2001) the City decided to fund it full-time. Even when the position was only parttime, I worked hard to build relationships with community members. This evidently paid off, as it was the support of the citizens that convinced the decision-makers that the position of city forester was an important one to support—even through lean times. Since those earlier days, the economy has even turned around. A mineral mining "boom" seems to be taking shape north of here; otherwise, Thunder Bay has transitioned from an almost exclusively resource-based economy (pulp and paper, softwood lumber) to what is very much a knowledge-based economy. RH: What is the underlying reason for the economic "shift" in Thunder Bay, and what will the current revitalization mean for the city's trees? questions about our community's trees. Pest outbreaks like tent caterpillars in the past and now Emerald Ash Borer have actually been a bit of a mixed blessing in that they've helped considerably to raise awareness about the health of urban trees. As with the rest of the United States and Canada, the population of Northwestern Ontario continues to age; people from surrounding communities will no doubt consider moving into the city for amenities they may no longer be willing or able to travel for. I believe that the demand for healthy street trees and community green spaces like parks and bike paths will only continue to grow both here in Thunder Bay and elsewhere, thus furthering the demand for the services offered from a position like mine. RH: What sort of initiatives continue and what type of new programs have you been involved in? SV: Things continue to move forward with a multitude of education, planting, and outreach efforts. Trees Thunder Bay (TTB) has historically been our community partner in most, if not all, of our proposals and programs and at one time featured SV: The initiation of new programs at Lakehead University including the new medical school and the new law school, coupled with the completion of the new Thunder Bay Regional Hospital, has really helped put the city on the map as a national competitor in health and education. As our city is once again growing in size and scope, it is expanding its roads and suburban construction. We have a whole host of new criteria for new construction within city limits based on our new Parks Division guidelines and specifications and I am very involved in working with municipal planning and engineering staff. We now require specific numbers of new trees in new construction and we outline criteria for things like minimum soil volume requirements. RH: With so many funding priorities these days, why do you think the citizens and stakeholders have faithfully rallied in support of your position? SV: Over the years I've delivered numerous presentations and visited citizens—even door to door—making myself available to answer 12 Citizen pruners at work on the streets of Thunder Bay, Ontario (right) Thunder Bay Citizen Pruner training City Trees