The City of Calgary is planting 47 “large caliper” trees and 56 “bucket” trees in Maple Ridge and Willow Park in 2025. You will see the orange tags attached to all the new trees, and you may have noticed some already planted along Willow Park Drive west of Fairmount; at the park near Willingdon and Acadia Drive; near the Trico field and along Willacy Drive (the road along Anderson Drive). There are 23 new trees planned just for the area near Trico field. Those trees are then watered weekly by the City in the first year. Look for the watering truck around your street if you have new plantings.
Along with the new plantings, there are 42 tree removals planned, along with approximately 107 trees planned for significant pruning. The poplar trees along Acadia continue to be affected by the outbreak a dozen years ago of the “sponge moth”. Where trees are being removed, the City has consulted us and we have to agree that most of the trees are beyond saving. Poplars, in particular, can sometimes look okay but aren’t – witness the seemingly healthy poplar that fell on our brand-new LED sign! We are also losing five poplars immediately north of our building along the fence on Acadia Drive.
The Urban Forestry group at the City of Calgary has been very good to work with since we started engaging with them in 2024. They know the community in Willow Ridge loves their trees!
We are putting more information up on our WRCA website about City trees, which trees are being planted and where in the community. There are score species of burr oaks, Siberian elms, ashes, lodgepole pines, larches, buckeyes, crabs, and even some new cottonwoods. My dream is to plant some trees that will grow into giant oaks that will last a hundred years and provide shade over our parks for generations to come.
The City received funds from the Government of Canada to plant 900,000 trees as part of the government’s Two Billion Trees program. The WRCA is working with the City on a plan to plant additional trees over and above what is budgeted in the 2026 season.
Our Tree Canopy Replacement Project is now registered with Parks Foundation Calgary, and you can donate directly through their website. Your donations will go directly to rebuilding our aging Tree Canopies in the WPMR areas.
We want your input: send me a note or fill out the community survey available at mywillowridge.ca from July 20 to August 20, 2025.
Gord Paynter
Urban Forestry Director, Willow Ridge Community Association
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Click here to the Willow Park Community News home page for the latest Willow Park community updates.
