Annual Urban Forest Maintenance

Peterborough, ON - Annual urban forest maintenance work that is essential to maintain public safety and the health of the urban forest will take place from December 2025 to March 2026.  

Trees identified for removal include: 

• Trees that are unhealthy or unsafe, typically marked with an orange dot.  
• Ash trees impacted by Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) marked with a pink dot or band. 

The identified trees are on City property in parks, road allowances and natural spaces where they may pose a risk to people or property. This proactive approach helps reduce potential property damage and risks to public safety while supporting the goals of the City’s long-term Urban Forest Strategic Plan. 

The removal of Ash trees will be conducted by external contractors. 

Residents may notice crews working in various locations during this period and may be impacted by temporary closures of trails or parking areas at parks. 

The work over the four months will include the removal of approximately 2,000 dead and dying Ash trees infested with EAB.  

Ash tree removals will take place in unmaintained parks and natural areas. Some of these areas are within Otonabee Conservation areas regulated flood plain zones that restrict the use of equipment to protect the ecologically sensitive areas. The woody material (trunk, limbs, brush etc.) will be left onsite to decompose naturally over time, adding organic material back to the site and encouraging wildlife habitat. Stumps will not be ground.  

Urban park fires are often related to human activity. To reduce this risk, park users should stay on trails, be aware that smoking is prohibited and report any fire immediately by calling 9-1-1. 

The 2026 tree-planting program will include planting up to 2,000 new trees across the city, supported by the Government of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees Program and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund. These efforts contribute to the City’s goal of achieving an overall tree canopy cover of 35 per cent by 2051. 

In future years, reforestation efforts could be implemented in the areas heavily impacted by the EAB, to ensure the sustainability of the urban forest of Peterborough. 

Approximately 150 Ash trees are on municipal road allowance in residential areas in addition to the below road allowances, parks and natural areas.  

The following areas are scheduled for work during this period:  

Road name: 

• Driscoll Road  
• Guthrie Drive  
• Maniece Avenue  
• Nassau Mills Road/University Road 

Park name: 

• Ashburnham Memorial Park   
• Auburn Reach Park   
• Beavermead Park   
• Burnham Point Park   
• Chelsea Gardens Park   
• Collison Park   
• Corrigan Park   
• 120 Fradette Ave, green space 
• Giles Park   
• Golfview Heights Park   
• GreenUP Ecology Park   
• Hamilton Park   
• Jackson Park   
• James Stevenson Park   
• Kawartha Heights Park   
• Kinsmen Park   
• Mapleridge Park   
• Newhall Park   
• Nicholls Oval Park   
• Oakwood Park   
• Rogers Cove   
• Stenson Park   
• Stillman Park   
• University Heights Park   
• Walker Park   
• Wallis Heights Park   
• Whitefield Park 

More information on the City’s urban canopy can be found at peterborough.ca/trees.