It has been two years now since important work began in the Ashkelon Gardens behind the library with the necessary felling of trees.

Hundreds of trees there were infested with the Ash Borer and the Dutch Elm disease. These trees were dangerous for people who were walking in the area (from the possibility of falling branches or trees) and  even constituted a fire hazard. The city requested our  expert contractor, Nadeau Foresterie Urbaine, to prepare an inventory of the affected trees. In total,  some 300 trees were cut we cleared approximately 21,000 buckthorn plants and bushes, a species that interferes with healthy tree growth. We intend to plant up to 600 new trees.

This week work proceeded on cutting all of the vines from the rented fence that has been surrounding and protecting people from the work area. Once this is completed our Public Works Department will then contact the fence contractor to remove it. We are  preparing signage   that explains one must enter at their own risk since there are many stumps that people can trip on if they aren't careful. 

Next week the last of three poison ivy treatments will be administered.  A couple of weeks after this application, workers will begin to remove the balance of the buckthorn and then finally plant the remainder of the trees we originally planned to compensate for what we lost.. The work will be completed in its entirety during the early fall.   

At our recent public information session in the Council Chamber of Côte Saint-Luc City Hall we provided background into plans for the necessary felling of trees in Ashkelon Gardens.  Hundreds of trees in this forest  are infested with the Ash Borer and the Dutch Elm disease. These trees are dangerous for people who were walking in the area (from the possibility of falling branches or trees) and may even constitute a fire hazard.  

  Download PowerPoint on Felling of Trees

On Monday, October 29, 2018 at 7:30 pm,  we will have a public information session in the Council Chamber of Côte Saint-Luc City Hall at 7:30 pm to provide background into plans for the necessary felling of trees in Ashkelon Gardens. We had such a gathering last spring, but many of the Snowbirds were away so I felt that a repeat session is necessary at this time.

Our objective is  to ask for a few representatives, one from each area ( ie townhouses on Mackle, condos on Marc Chagall and apartments on Sir Walter Scott)  to be the reps who can contact the city with the residents' issues and concerns.   

A tree infected by the Emerald Ash Borer.

Hundreds of trees from the Ashkelon Park are infested with the Ash Borer and the Dutch Elm disease. These trees are dangerous for people who were walking in the area (from the possibility of falling branches or trees) and may even constitute a fire hazard. The city requested our  expert contractor, Nadeau Foresterie Urbaine, to prepare an inventory of the affected trees.

On February 16, 2017 (based on this inventory), the city issued a public call for tender for the felling of 255 trees under tender number C-16-17. On June 12, 2017,   Council approved the awarding of the contract for the felling of infested trees to Services d’Arbres Tessier.  

In total, we are looking towards felling approximately 300 trees and clearing approximately 21,000 buckthorn plants and bushes, a species that interferes with healthy tree growth in Ashkelon Forest.

STEP 1

The felling all 300 trees, all at the same time during the winter of 2018:

(a) The woodlands have been divided into three  zones:

1.     i) East - near the back of parking lot where 10 percent of trees need to be felled 
2.     ii) Center -  woodlands next to parking lot where 75 percent of trees need to be felled

      iii) Near Cavendish - next to the library where 95 percent of the trees need to be felled as they are all dead.

(b) The Western side of the woodlands, near Veteran's Park, will be conducted during 2019 (exact date to be determined)

STEP 2

A massive clearing and controlling of the 21,000 buckthorns over a period of two years. Buckthorn out-competes native plants for nutrients, light, and moisture. Buckthorn degrades wildlife habitat, contributes to erosion by shading out other plants that grow on the forest floor, serves as host to other pests, such as crown rust fungus and soybean aphid, forms an impenetrable layer of vegetation and lacks "natural controls" like insects or disease that would curb its growth.

An image of buckthorns.

(a) We will first conduct the clearing at the eastern zone, located towards the back of the City Hall parking lot. This will be conducted in 2018 because some maples can be saved and as such, the land won't look completely bare when the buckthorn is removed

(b) The western side of the woodlands near Veteran's Park, will be conducted during 2019 (exact date to be determined)

STEP 3

The plan is to reforest the area where we have removed the buckthorn. Of course, some of the trees will be small but we will take into account that funds must be used for mature trees too. 

We will be following the plan of action that was provided to us by Luc Nadeau foresterie urbaine.

The Quebec Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques (MDDELCC) had given our city permission to begin the process of  felling trees  at Ashkelon Gardens infected by the Emerald Ash Borer. These insects  from China have killed millions of trees across North America in recent years. A public information was held for residents on March 5 to provide more information to residents of the immediate area.

Emerald Ash Borer

In this forested area between the library and the Cambridge Courts townhouse complex,   most of the trees are sick or dead and could potentially fall down on their own or even catch fire if we don’t remove them. Some good news is that the maple trees located closer to the Bellagio high rise condo are not affected and will remain in place.

All dead trees, once felled, will be replaced.   

Regrettably we have no alternative and a contractor has been hired to fell these trees. Back in 2015 we cut down 40 dead ash trees in Ashkelon Gardens for safety reasons and 255 across the city. In 2016 we cut 255 dead ash trees in Trudeau Park. The total was 85 in 2017, during which time we focused on private property,

Since 2016 we have been treating Dutch Elm Disease, which can kill a tree within the same year as infestation. Sadly, this disease is also present in Ashkelon Gardens, where we  also must remove 21,00 buckthorns. These are invasive plants that tend to grow really fast and stop the regeneration of native species.

Buckthorns

Due to warmer weather conditions, the wetlands at Ashkelon  Gardens are starting to thaw. The equipment originally planned  to fell the trees is too heavy to enter the site now (risking conformity of MDDELCC certificate of authorization), therefore the large project to fell the  300 trees and 21,000 buckthorn plants must be  postponed until next winter.

At this point though, our Arboriculture Foreman along with our expert tree contractor, have concluded that approximately two dozen trees located along the fringes of the forest must be felled immediately due to possible imminent danger. The trees have been marked with white paint. Work will start during the week of April 2 or April 9, for up to three days.

We will then completely block off the forest so nobody can enter. When work  does resume it will be broken up into three zones:

• Closest to The Bellagio (90 percent maples which will stay in place,  five percent Ash and  five  percent Elm);
• Near Cambridge Courts (75 percent Ash, five percent Elm  and 20 percent others witch will stay in place);
• Near Cavendish Boulevard (90 percent Ash, five percent Elm and five percent others which will stay in place  which will stay in place.

I want to thank our Department of Public Works for all of their efforts on this massive project and we will have more updates to come.

Like many places on the island of Montreal, many of the ash trees in Côte Saint-Luc have been  infected by the Emerald Ash Borer and have become sick or are dead.

The forested area between the Library and the Cambridge Courts townhouse complex  has also been  infected. Most of the trees there are sick or dead and could potentially fall down on their own or  even catch on fire if we don’t remove them. Some good news. We had our team investigate further and the existing maple trees will remain.

We are hiring a contractor to fell these trees starting in March. The law maintains this work cannot proceed beyond the last day of March.

During the work we will  hear the sounds of workers and chainsaws. The work will be carried out between the hours of 7 am and  6 pm to minimize any disruption to your sleep. After the trees have been felled, we will also must remove  the invasive plants. Once we are confident the area is ready, we will plant new trees and other species of vegetation over the next two years.

We are heartbroken that we are temporarily losing the beautiful forested area.  Regrettably there was nothing we could do to save them. While we are replacing these trees, the new  ones will take many years to grow to the size of what’s there now. 

Mount Royal will be losing 4,000 trees due to emerald ash borer. See this story on CBC 

Anyone with questions should join us for an information meeting on Monday, March 5, 2018 at 7:30  pm at City Hall. We will share  more details, including some of the  technical details about the replacement trees.

Mayor Brownstein, myself and Public Works Director Beatrice Newman are sending this letter out to residents who live closest to Ashkelon Gardens,  the forested area between the library and the Cambridge Court townhouse complex. This area has been badly affected by the Emerald Ash Borer.

Like many places on the island of Montreal, many of the ash trees in Côte Saint-Luc have been infected by the Emerald Ash Borer and have become sick or are dead.

The forested area between the Library and your townhouse complex or apartment has also been infected. The trees there are sick and could potentially fall down on their own or even catch on fire if we don’t remove them.

We are hiring a contractor to fell these trees starting at the end of January or start of February 2018. During the work, you will hear the sounds of workers and chainsaws. The work will be carried out between the hours of 7am and 5pm to minimize any disruption to your sleep. After the trees have been felled, invasive plants will try to take over, but we have a plan to prevent that from happening and ensure that the area will be suitable for replanting. Once we are confident the area is ready, we will plant new trees later this year.

Like you, we are heartbroken that we are temporarily losing the beautiful forested area. Regrettably there was nothing we could do to save them. While we are replacing these trees, the new ones will take many years to grow to the size of what’s there now.

If you have questions, you can join us for an information meeting at a date to be determined at City Hall. We will share details that didn’t fit in this letter, including some of the technical details about the replacement trees.

Aux résidants de Manoir Camelia, Cambridge Court, Le Rothchild II, et Le Bellagio

Comme c’est le cas à plusieurs endroits sur l’île de Montréal, de nombreux frênes sont infestés par l’agrile du frêne à Côte Saint-Luc et ils sont malades ou déjà morts.

L’espace boisé compris entre la Bibliothèque et votre complexe de maisons en rangée ou votre immeuble d’appartements est lui aussi infesté. Les arbres dans cet espace sont malades et ils pourraient tomber par eux-mêmes ou même prendre feu si nous ne les abattons pas.

Nous avons engagé un entrepreneur pour abattre ces arbres fin janvier / début février 2018. Pendant les travaux, vous entendrez le bruit des travaux et des scies mécaniques. Les travaux s’effectueront entre 7 h et 15 h pour éviter le plus possible de perturber votre sommeil. Une fois les arbres abattus, des plantes envahissantes tenteront de prendre la place mais nous avons un plan pour empêcher cela et pour la plantation de nouveaux arbres dans le secteur. Après nous être assurés que le site est prêt, nous y planterons d’autres arbres plus tard cette année.

Comme vous, nous sommes dévastés de la perte temporaire de ce magnifique espace boisé. Malheureusement, nous n’avons rien pu faire pour sauver les arbres infestés. Même si nous voyons à remplacer les arbres abattus, il reste que les nouveaux mettront plusieurs années à atteindre la même hauteur que les frênes existants.

The fall season is now upon us and sadly that means we must say goodbye to the beautiful greenery within our midst.

Longtime Côte Saint-Luc resident Steve Coplan  (left), a prominent chartered accountant and partner with the West End firm of Levy Pilotte, also has some hidden talents in photography. He provides us with these beautiful pictures which will be nice to look at as we prepare for another wicked winter of snow and slush.