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

Are you looking to learn new skills and volunteer in a meaningful way? Now is your chance! 

Forest Health Ambassadors monitor neighbourhood street trees near for invasive insects, disease and other issues related to forest health. High school students can also earn volunteer hours towards community involvement. 

If you are interested in becoming a Forest Health Ambassador, email us with your name and residential address at foresthealthvolunteers@oakville.ca. 

The program runs through the summer months. Throughout the summer, volunteers survey as many or as few trees as they like at any time.

The program is currently on a winter break and will start up again in spring 2024. Details about our training session will be posted at that time. 

We thank you for your interest and look forward to the 2024 Forest Health Ambassador season!

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.

• 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.