Vegetation Management

Newsletters

Power Points

Power Points

ReHome a Tree

 
There are many reasons for liking trees and equally as many ways that trees positively contribute to the environment. In fact, the TreePeople website lists 22 reasons that we should be saving trees. Some of the key benefits are:
 

• Trees combat climate change: Trees absorb CO2, removing and storing carbon while releasing oxygen back into the air. In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the same amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 41,000 kilometers.
  
• Trees clean the air: Trees absorb odors and pollutant gases (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and ozone) and filter particulates out of the air by trapping them on their leaves and bark.
  
• Trees help prevent erosion: On hillsides and stream slopes, trees hold run off and keep soil in place.
  

In rural Alberta we are very fortunate that coniferous trees tend to replicate themselves frequently, but regrettably many do that in the rural right of ways along range roads and township roads. This results in the necessity to trim or brush them and inevitably ends up with the tree dying. West Wetaskiwin REA would like to encourage members and their friends and family to ReHome a Tree and we want to let you know it is quite easy.
 
1.         Get the land location of the tree (s) you would like to Re-Home (range road/ township road). It is recommended to choose trees no taller than 6 feet as the root would be too large to remove without equipment and a severely damaged root would negatively affect a transplant. The tree does not need to be outside your property, it can be located in another rural area in the County.

2.         Stop by the County of Wetaskiwin Office and complete a permit form. It takes only a few minutes and usually the permit is approved while you are waiting. Note permits are not available for trees along primary or secondary highways.

3.         Permits are issued at no-charge for the ‘shoveling’ – no equipment removal –of young trees and are valid for 14 days. (Note permits can be extended if need be.)

4.         Within that 14 days, and with your permit in hand, you can shovel out the tree (s) that you wish to bring to a new home.

5.         Once the tree and root is removed, you must fill in the hole and return the area to its original state (no holes).

For information on how to successfully transplant trees, please refer to the following video links or download theTree Transplanting PDF. They provide details and tips on how to dig out the tree, keep the root ball intact, and how to facilitate a successful move and transplant.

a.         www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-transplant-small-evergreen-tree
b.         www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxFjClQf_2g
     

Online Account Access Now Available
 
Effective December 1, 2017 West Wetaskiwin REA members on the RRO can access their account online via our RRO provider’s - Battle River Power Coop - website. For West Wetaskiwin REA  members who would like online access, click here for step by step instructions.