Street tree canopy expansion

Tree planting

• |

• 

  Tree planting on streets with gravel shoulders in 2025

  We are building tree pits on streets with gravel shoulders and no curbs.

  In 2025, we plan to:

  • Build tree pits on 8 blocks
  • Plant about 50 trees

  Gravel shoulder and parking may be affected for tree pit

  To make sure the trees thrive and grow into a full canopy, we need to dig into part of the gravel shoulder to build a tree pit to hold enough soil to support tree roots.  

  The tree pits on streets are designed to minimize parking loss, but some road space will be required for the pits.

  Tree pit options 

  • Small Tree Pit PDF file (715 KB)
  • Tree Garden PDF file (177 KB)
  • Linear Tree Garden PDF file (735 KB)

  Note These projects are partly funded by the Government of Canada's Natural Infrastructure Fund External website, opens in new tab for rainwater integration projects throughout the city.

• 

  Tree planting on streets with curbs and gutters since 2022

  Since 2022, we have:

  • Created more than 90 tree pits, primarily in the Downtown Eastside on improved streets (streets with curbs and storm drainage systems)
  • Planted almost 100 trees
• 

  Purpose and benefits of tree pits

  A tree pit is a new method for street trees that gives roots more space. The area around the tree is dug out and filled with special soil to help roots grow and improve water absorption.

  Excavated tree pits:

  • Provide trees with the soil and space they need to grow long-term, supporting their roots and helping them flourish
  • Help prevent tree roots from damaging sidewalks or roads, providing a stable and sustainable environment for the trees and the roadway
  • Absorb rainwater and create more deeply rooted trees for better drought tolerance
• 

  Tree species selected for this project

  We selected drought-resistant trees, ranging from small (up to 10 metres) to medium-sized (10 metres to 15 metres) that thrive in urban settings. They include: 

  • Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus ‘Espresso’) 
  • Persian Ironwood (Parrotia persica) 
  • Upright European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’) 
  • Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) 
  • Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) 
  • Turkish Hazel (Corylus colurna) 
• 

  Background

  Vancouver’s urban forest includes every tree in the city, from the 150,000 street trees and 36,000 specimen trees in our golf courses and urban parks to the more than 1 million trees across 444 hectares of public forests and woodlands.

  As part of a Council directive, the Urban Forestry Strategy, and the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy PDF file (25 MB), we aim to plant 3,000 trees annually to replace trees lost to old age, storms, and decay.

  Trees in urban areas are a hallmark of vibrant, desirable communities that help create a welcoming environment for everyone.