the Town of Truro

 

The Town of Truro Tree Committee came into existence in 1971 as a result of a recommendation from the Canadian Forest Service liaison officer for Nova Scotia to establish a "Street Tree Committee" in response to the confirmation of Dutch Elm Disease (DED) in the province in 1969. A Tree Committee was established but soon realized there needed to be a clearer definition of their authority.

Therefore at the Town's request the Provincial Legislature in 1972 passed Bill 48 "An Act to Provide a Tree Commission for the Town of Truro". The original Tree Commission was comprised of three citizen volunteers. In 1980, by amendment to the Act, two additional seats were created on the committee for the Town Engineer and a representative of Truro Town Council. In 1989 the Tree Commission was again expanded with the addition of three more citizen volunteer seats, bringing the volunteer total to six members.

In 1986 the Tree Commission was authorized to hire a full time "Tree Technician" to facilitate and supervise all urban forestry related programs, as well as forestry activities carried out within the Lepper Brook Watershed Area, the source of the Town's drinking water supply. The tree technician is a non-voting member of the Commission; acts as Commission secretary and answers to the Truro Tree Commission, Truro Town Council and the Town Engineer.

The Truro Tree Commission was renamed the Truro Tree Committee as of April 1, 1999 with the passing of Bill 47 "An Act Respecting Municipal Government".

The main duties of the Truro Tree Committee are as follows:

To ensure the health and safety of Town owned trees through proper pruning, removal when necessary, protection, and repair;

To recommend and encourage the proper pruning, removal when necessary, protection and repair of privately owned trees within the Town;

To recommend and encourage the planting of trees within the Town;

To develop plans for street tree planting;

Provide residents with information on proper tree care and maintenance;

Provide technical advice, feedback, and assistance to other Town departments and committees in relation to tree/plant related issues within the scope of their work;

Liaise and co-operate with federal, provincial, municipal, and non-governmental organizations in respect to urban and watershed forestry issues within the Town of Truro and  surrounding watershed lands.

Truro Tree Committee March 2009 Newsletter (200.31 kB)

June 2008 Truro Tree Committee Newsletter (619.92 kB)

Truro Tree Committee Newsletter - March 2010 (12.92 MB)