Trees

The Town of Whitby recognizes the essential role that trees and the urban forest play in providing a healthy and sustainable quality of life for all residents. The protection, preservation, growth and enhancement of the urban forest is a priority for the Town.

Trees on Town property

The Town of Whitby's goal is to create and maintain a safe, healthy, diverse and sustainable urban forest that reflects the needs of the community. The Town's urban forestry management program includes the general maintenance of trees located on Town streets, parks, and other designated Town properties.

Learn how we maintain trees in the community.

Tree Pruning

We typically prune all residential street trees once every five years.

Pruning creates safe environments by removing branches that could fall and cause injury or property damage and removing branches that interfere with lines of sight on streets or driveways.

Pruning produces healthy trees by removing insect or disease infested wood and removing crossed and rubbing branches. Pruning can best be used to encourage trees to develop a strong structure and reduce the likelihood of damage during storms. View the 2023/2024 Winter Block Pruning Schedule find out if the trees on your street are scheduled for pruning this year.

Winter Block Pruning Schedule

Trees on the streets listed below are scheduled for pruning in 2023/2024. If your street is not on the schedule and there is an issue with your tree, you can contact us to request pruning.

Street Name
Aird St	Timber Mill Ave
Ash St	Tincomb Cres
Bancroft Cres	Trinity Cres
Barrister Ave	Valleywood Dr
Bassett Blvd (Rossland Rd to Garden St)	Vanier St
Beech St E	Vernon St
Beech St W	Vintage Dr
Bellfield Ct	Virginia Dr
Bettley Ct	Wallace Dr
Bourbon Pl	Walnut St W
Boychyn Dr	Walton Blvd
Brendanbrook Dr	Walton Ct
Briargreen Ct	Wardman Cres
Bridgewater Ave	Waywell St
Brimley Ct	Westport Dr
Brock St N	Whitburn St
Brookwood Blvd	White Ash Dr
Broughton Ct	Whitewater St
Byron St N	Wilcox Ct
Cahill Ct	Willis Ave
Calder Cres	Willowbrook Dr
Cambridge Ct	Woodhaven Cres
Candlebrook Dr	Woodlands Ave
Carmichael Dr	Woodstone Pl
Carrington Pl	Woodward Dr
Catherine Dr	Worfolk Pl
Cedar St	Wyndfield Ces
Centre St N	Yorkshire Cres
Chestnut St E
Chestnut St W
Chiltern Pl
Chipperfield Cres
Civic Centre Dr
Clay St
Clear Spring Rd
Clune Pl
Cobblestone Dr
Cobi St
Cochrane St
Coniston Ct
Connie Ct
Crawforth St
Davies Cres
Decatur Pl
Dewbourne Pl
Disney Ct
Donaven Cres
Dreamcrest Ct
Drew Ct
Dundas St W
Endridge Pl
Elm St
Ennisclare Pl
Euclid St
Evensong Dr
Fallingbrook St
Fallon Ct
Farnwood St
Ferguson St
Fernbank Pl
Fifewood Cres
Finnegan Pl
Foothill St
Forest Grove Dr
Forest Heights St
Fulton Cres
Fulwood Cres
Gainsbrook Ct
Garden St
Gilchrist Ct
Glencedar Cres
Golders Green Ct
Goldfinch St
Graham Ct
Greenbush Pl
Greenlands Ct
Harlowe Ct
Harness Ridge Dr
Harris St
Harrison Ct
Heard Cres
Heaver Dr
Henderson Dr
Hickory St N
High St
Hillcourt Ave
Hillcrest Dr
Honey Tree Ct
Hoodgate Dr
Houghton Ct
Hubell Dr
Inglenook Ct
Inkpen Lane
Ironwood Ct
Ivanic Ct
James Rowe Ct
James Rowe Dr
Jansen Ct
Jason Dr
Jays Dr
John St E
John St W
Joy Thompson Ave
Kapuscinski Ct
Kenneth Hobbs Ave
Kent St
Kerrigan Dr
Killberry Dr
Kilbride Dr
Knightsbridge Ct
Knotwood Ct
Limestone Cres
Linden Ct
Lismer Dr
Littleleaf Ct
Lockridge St
Longfellow Ct
Longford Ct
Longueuil Pl
Lumsden Cres
Lyndhurst Cres
MacMillan Ave
Mandy Ct
Maple Edge Lane
Maple St E
Maple St W
Mapleglen Ct
Martinet St
Mary St E
Mary St W
Mayfield Cres
McBrien Ct
McCartney Ave
Meadowglen Cres
Melborne Ct
Michelle Ct
Millstone Cres
Montrose Cres
Mowat Ct
O'Connor Dr
Oglevie Dr
Old Colony Dr
O'Malley Cres
Orleans St
Owen Ct
Palace St
Palisades Ct
Palmerston Ave
Palomino Pl
Pemberton Ct
Perry St
Pheasant St
Pine Gate Pl
Pine St
Pinebrook Cres
Pinestone Ct
Playfair Rd
Portsmouth St
Pringle Dr
Pritchard Ct
Red Maple Ct
Robideau Pl
Robinson Cres
Rosewood Ct
Rycroft Ct
Sandpiper Ct
Sato St
Schilling Ct
Silverbirch Pl
Stargell Dr
Starr Ave
Stokely Cres
Stonemanor Ave
Sugar Maple Cres
Sunny Rose Ct

Tree inspection

Tree inspections will be completed by the Town if there is any suspected hazard or a resident contacts us with a question or concern. We will complete a tree inspection on any Town-owned lands including streets and parks to ensure our community is a safe place to live. Street trees are regularly inspected once every five years as part of our Block Pruning Schedule.

Tree removal on Town-owned land

The Town removes municipal trees that pose a safety hazard or trees that may not be saved due to insect, disease, or other irreparable damage. If there is a municipal tree bordering your property that needs to be removed, we will notify you ahead of time.

Tree planting

The Town plants about 600 trees each year along streets and in parks. This involves planting trees at new locations or replacing trees that have been removed.

Plant Health Care

It can be challenging to maintain a healthy tree in the urban environment because of poor site conditions. The Town applies water and mulch to newly planted trees on boulevards and in parks. For proper plant health care for your trees:

Water all trees regularly, regardless of their age
Water newly planted trees every week from April to November for 3 years so they can become well established

Mulch around the base of the tree to help preserve moisture and add nutrients to the soil

Insect and Disease Management

Insects and diseases are a natural part of the environment and are commonly found on trees. Most insects and disease will not harm the tree. The Town uses and encourages you to follow a Plant Health Care program to help trees maintain their health and become more resistant to insect and disease problems.

Additional Resources

These resources on trees will help you practice good tree management:

Contact us to report a problem, or for more information about the health and care of town-owned trees including planting, pruning, insect and disease management, removal of trees on Town-owned land, or to request maintenance of a tree on town property by Town Forestry staff:

Tree Protection By-law and tree removal requirements

Much of the forest cover within the Town of Whitby is located on private property. These trees are an important part of both our urban and rural forests, and the larger ecosystem. Woodlands are protected and regulated under the provisions of regional and municipal tree protection by-laws. In certain circumstances, trees may also be protected through other legislated designations.

View the Town's Tree Protection By-law and the Durham Regional Woodland Conservation and Management By-law 30-2020 to learn more about how we manage trees in our community.

The Town encourages property owners to consult the Planning and Development Department prior to tree removal to determine the appropriate permit requirements and approvals.

More information about Tree Protection Bylaws and requirements for Tree Removal Permits is available here:

If your property is located in a Heritage Conservation District, you may need a Heritage Permit in order to remove a tree.

Trees and development application requirements

The Town of Whitby Tree Protection Requirements for New Development (TPR) directs landowners and developers in activities related to existing trees and woodlands. The submission of a Tree Inventory, Arborist Report and Tree Protection Plan are required in conjunction with Site Plan and Subdivision applications in the Town of Whitby. Applications for development must fulfill the requirements of the TPR prior to any tree removals.

Commemorative tree and bench program

Find out how you can commemorate an individual with our tree and bench program.

LEAF Program

Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests (LEAF) is a not-for-profit organization that helps to protect and improve our urban forest. LEAF provides a subsidized Backyard Tree Planting Program in partnership with the Town and other Durham Region municipalities.

Whitby's Backyard Tree Planting Program is sponsored by Elexicon Energy. Elexicon Energy Logo

Full Service Backyard Tree Planting Program

If you're an owner of a residential or commercial property looking to plant trees, you can get expert help to plant native trees in the right location. Visit LEAF if you're interested in signing up or want to learn more about the program.

What's included in the program

If you are participating in the Full Service Backyard Planting Program, you will receive:

An on-site consultation in your yard with a certified arborist
A five to eight foot tall tree (two to four feet for evergreens)
Delivery and planting service
Follow-up care instructions

As the property owner, you will pay approximately 50% of the full value of the service. The difference is paid by the program's funding partners – the Town and Durham Region.

Other program options

There is also a Do-It-Yourself version of the program, where you pay a slightly lower cost, receive your consultation virtually and plant the trees yourself. In addition to the tree planting program, native shrubs and garden kits are also available.

Tree City of the World

In 2019, the Town of Whitby was one of fifty-nine cities worldwide that have been recognized as one of the first official Tree Cities of the World. This program is led by the Arbour Day Foundation, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations alongside its Canadian partner, Tree Canada.

The Tree Cities of the World program was developed because of the 2018 World Forum on Urban Forests. Its purpose is to connect cities around the world in a new network dedicated to sharing and adopting the most successful approaches to managing community trees and forests.

50 Million Trees Program

Forests Ontario's 50 Million Tree Program is a tree-planting program that you can participate in, which increases forest cover by making tree planting easier and more affordable for property owners. It is supported by the Government of Canada, corporate sponsors and donors.

Community tree planning programs and events

Each year, we host opportunities where you can learn about and help grow our urban forest. Visit our Community Calendar if you'd like to participate or sign up for one of our community events.

Christmas tree lighting event

The Town of Whitby's Christmas Tree Lighting Event is a family friendly event that includes a countdown to the lighting of Celebration Square, carolling and seasonal entertainment, seasonal crafts and activities for kids, photos with Santa and much more.

International Society of Arboriculture

Visit the International Society of Arboriculture for information about tree care, species, pests and more.