
This willow tree is majestic. Homeowners should appreciate the utility and beauty of trees.
Yes, you bought a house in Toronto, Canada and you are now master of your domain. This does not give you the right to do anything you want on your property. There are bylaws of the City of Toronto that all home owners need to follow, and if you disagree with them then maybe you should reconsider your purchase. Keep your yard clean and safe. Shovel the sidewalk in the winter. Cut your lawn. And don’t cut down all your trees. Yes, to cut down a tree over 30 cm in diameter or more as measured at 1.4 m above ground level, you need a city permit.
Home owners often love a neighbourhood of old growth trees. Trees provide shade and impart an imperial feel to a street. This is in stark contrast to a new housing development, where all the trees have been uprooted and thrown out. The new development feels barren. We all agree that trees are good, but some people like to appreciate trees provided the trees are not on their property. They dislike the work of having to take care of a tree and to rake its leaves in the autumn. If all home owners were this selfish they would cut down all the trees on their property and collectively affect the environment and our society in a very negative way.
Be kind to trees. They require so little work and give us so much more than they ask. They shade us from the hot sun. They filter pollutants from the air. They provide homes and a mini ecosystem for bugs and animals. Trees are part of our environment long before we were here. When you think about it, apart from health and safety issues, it’s hard to argue against having a tree.
If you see a tree being cut down in the City of Toronto that is larger than 30cm in diameter you should report this to the city. We need all the trees we can get.