Trees and Natural Vegetation

The Municipality of Kincardine is a beautiful place to live and visit, largely because of our trees and rich vegetation. Our goal is to keep it that way, especially since trees provide essential and quantifiable services to our community by:

• Helping us to save energy in our homes by cooling with their shade in the summer and allowing the light through in the winter while also blocking wind chill
• Removing air pollution and naturally storing carbon
• Reducing erosion and flooding
• Improving quality of life and supporting positive mental health and wellness
• Providing habitat for wildlife

• Care for and plant (where possible) trees on private property to contribute to the tree canopy
• Help protect and preserve native trees
• Apply for a permit, if needed, to remove a tree per the by-law

• Preserve, manage, maintain, and plant trees on Municipal property
• Regulate the destruction or injuring of trees in the Municipality of Kincardine
• Pass by-laws respecting economic, social, and environmental wellbeing

Native trees evolve and grow naturally in a certain area. They exist without someone having to bring them there.

Native trees and plants are important for many reasons:

• They're well adapted to our climate
• They're tougher and thrive more easily with less maintenance
• They benefit our local eco-system as local birds, wildlife, and insects like bees and other pollinators look for and depend more on native species than non-native ones

When you plant and protect native trees and plants, you're helping to keep the Municipality of Kincardine beautiful and green. You're also helping to produce more local flowers, supporting health growth of crops of food, and so much more. It's all interconnected!

The native tree list for the Municipality of Kincardine is built from The Tree Atlas: Southwest Region from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and includes:

• Alternate-Leaf Dogwood
• American Beech
• American Chestnut
• American Elm
• American Mountain-Ash
• Balsam Fir
• Balsam Poplar
• Basswood
• Bitternut Hickory
• Black Ash
• Black Cherry
• Black Gum
• Black Maple
• Black Oak
• Black Spruce
• Black Walnut
• Black Willow
• Blue Ash
• Blue Beech
• Bur Oak
• Butternut
• Cherry Birch
• Chinquapin Oak
• Chokecherry
• Common Hoptree
• Cucumber Tree
• Eastern Cottonwood
• Eastern Flowering Dogwood
• Eastern Hemlock
• Eastern Red Cedar
• Eastern White Cedar
• Eastern White Pine
• Gray Birch
• Green/Red Ash
• Hawthorns
• Honey Locust
• Ironwood
• Jack Pine
• Kentucky Coffeetree
• Largetooth Aspen
• Maintoba Maple
• Northern Hackerry
• Northern Pin Oak
• Ohio Buckeye
• Pawpaw
• Peachleaf Willow
• Pignut Hickory
• Pin Cherry
• Pin Oak
• Pumpkin Ash
• Red Maple
• Red Mulberry
• Red Oak
• Red Pine
• Rock Elm
• Sassafras
• Serviceberries
• Shagbark Hickory
• Shellbark Hickory
• Show Mountain-Ash
• Sumard Oak
• Silver Maple
• Slippery Elm
• Striped Maple
• Sugar Maple
• Swamp Cottonwood
• Swamp White Oak
• Sycamore
• Tamarack
• Trembling Aspen
• Tulip Tree
• White Ash
• White Birch
• White Oak
• White Spruce
• Wild Crabapple
• Yellow Birch

There is no fee to submit an application. However, property owners are responsible for any costs associated with getting documents requested by the Municipality to support the application (for example, a tree protection plan prepared by an arborist.)

To apply, you will will be required (at minimum) to upload and provide:

• General contact information and property ownership details
• The number of trees to be removed and/or injured
• Address of the property
• Type(s) of tree(s)
• Reason for the application
• Image/layout of the property showing where the tree(s) being applied for is/are on the property. This can be a formal site plan or a legible hand-drawn sketch or photos showing what's around and near the tree and its proximity to the property boundary.
• At least one photo of each tree being applied for. Photos need to show:
  • The full tree and surrounding area
  • A close-up shot of a measuring tape showing the diameter breast height (DBH) of the tree
  • If you're applying to remove several trees, a grouped picture of the trees, with close-up photos of each tree's diameter.

Depending on what you're applying for, the Municipality may request additional documents, such as:

• An arborist report prepared by a qualified tree professional
• A tree protection plan and/or tree replanting plan by an arborist
• Property owner authorization if the applicant is not the property owner
• Signed consent form from a neighbour to remove a shared tree

Please note that it's important that:

• If you are providing documents from a qualified tree professional, all pricing information should be removed before uploading
• An application is not considered complete until the Municipality of Kincardine has received all required documents.

One of the terms used in the Native Trees on Private Property By-law is "diameter at breast height" (DBH).

To find the diameter at breast height of a tree, you:

• Measure 1.4 m (4.5 ft) up from the base of the tree trunk - this is the at breast height.
• At that point, measure all the way around the trunk of the tree to get the circumference. You can do this using a string, tailor's tape, or rope.
• Once you've got the circumference, divide that number by 3.14 to get the diameter. The answer is your diameter at breast height (DBH).

Municipal staff require 10 business days to review and respond to complete applications, so please plan accordingly. Tree work may not begin while the permit application is under review.

Your application will be reviewed by the Infrastructure and Development department staff or a designate. You will receive a response via e-mail using the address provided in the application.

Please note that a completed application is not a tree permit or a guarantee that a permit will be issued.

If you receive a permit, it will be valid for 6 months from the date it was issued. Once it expires, it is no longer valid and any and all operations related to the permit must stop immediately

There will be penalties if a property owner, or director or officer of a corporation, does not adhere to the by-law or any associated order.

See page 9 of the by-law for complete details.

Do I need a permit to prune my tree?

No. Regular care and best practice maintenance of native trees do not require a permit. If you are unsure, consult with a qualified tree professional before maintaining your tree.

Why was my application rejected?

The most common reasons an application may be rejected include, but not limited to:

• The tree is healthy.
• The planned work would harm the surrounding ecosystem, such as affecting erosion, flood control, or migratory birds.
• The tree is an endangered or threatened species.
• The tree is in an Environmentally Sensitive Area.
• A work plan (rezoning, a new subdivision, etc.) for the property has been submitted to the Municipality but has not been finalized.

Review the full Private Tree By-law for more detailed information.

What if my tree overlaps with my neighbour?

If your tree’s trunk is solely on your property, then you are considered the owner of the property and do not need to speak with your neighbor.

If the tree’s trunk is growing on or over the boundary line between your property and your neighbour’s property, then under the Ontario Forestry Act it is considered shared property.

You must have signed consent from that neighbour included in your permit application that they agree to remove and/or injure the shared tree.

What if my neighbour's tree is hazardous?

Start with a friendly neighbourly discussion about the problem tree. If you cannot come to a mutual agreement, you may submit a Clean & Clear Yards/ Property Standards Complaint form. Please note that any investigation as a result of this form submission may not mean that any action can be taken by the Municipality.

When do I need an arborist report?

The Municipality of Kincardine may request an arborist’s report as part of your application if they feel they need an expert opinion before approving or denying your application.

Where do I find an arborist?

There are several arborists working in the Municipality of Kincardine area. You can do a Google search or check the yellow pages of your phone book.

How much does an arborist cost?

Arborists’ fees can vary widely depending on a wide range of factors. For an exact price, contact a local arborist and ask for a quote.

What is a site plan?

A site plan is a diagram of your property, along with any proposed changes/improvements you’d like to make. Site plans are used to make sure that construction projects follow the Municipality’s zoning codes.

What is a tree replacement plan?

When a tree is removed, it creates a hole in the canopy. A tree replacement plan lays out how many trees are needed to replace the removed tree, and where they will be planted.

The Municipality of Kincardine can require an applicant to replant or replace a tree in the same or alternate location with the geographical limits of the Municipality. These details will be provided as part of the permit.