Urban Forest Health Monitoring

A healthy urban forest is an integral part of a healthy community. 

The urban forest provides many social, economic and environmental benefits to residents and these benefits are greatest when the urban forest is in good condition. We recognize the importance of urban forest health and the Town strives to be a leader in promoting urban forest stewardship. 

Volunteer as a Forest Health Ambassador

Unfortunately, we will be unable to provide the Forest Health Ambassador program in 2026.

We want to express our sincere gratitude for the time and energy our volunteers have contributed to years past. Your commitment has strengthened our community and our urban forest management in meaningful ways.

Although we are unable to offer the program in 2026, we are hoping to resume the program in summer of 2027. We will keep you informed as those plans take shape.

Forest Health Report Cards

Long-term monitoring of our urban forest is important in order to evaluate the status of the resource over time and determine whether it is improving or declining. The state of the urban forest is always evolving as a variety of biotic and abiotic factors continue to shape the forest structure. 

By monitoring the urban forest, relevant baseline data can be collected and changes, trends, and patterns can be tracked over time. 

A third of the Town’s woodlands are assessed each year on a three-year rotational basis for signs of pests, disease and other disturbances. A report card of the woodlands surveyed in each year is produced to evaluate the health of the forest.

• 2025 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2024 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2023 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2022 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2021 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2020 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2019 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2018 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2017 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2016 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2015 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)
• 2014 Forest Health Report Card (pdf)

Forest Stewardship Council certified

The forests owned and managed by the Town of Oakville have achieved Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification (FSC C018800) through the Eastern Ontario Model Forest’s Forest Certification Program. FSC is an international, membership-based, non-profit organization that supports environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.

For more information on how Town of Oakville’s forest is managed,  including management plans, the protection of high-conservation values, or how pesticides are used within FSC Standards, please contact ServiceOakville. 

To learn more about FSC Certification and the information available to the public and affected stakeholders, please see the Eastern Ontario Model Forest’s Forest Certification Program.