Evidence of meeting #146 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was tree.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON
That's a really good idea.
I assume that being close to an area where activity like blasting is going on.... They were doing it when we were in Centre Block, and we had to listen to the blasting, and I can tell you it was stressful for us. I suspect that it's also stressful for trees.
Do you have any knowledge about whether that would affect the survivability of the tree?
If the visitor welcome centre goes in as planned—and other things will happen with Centre Block that are intrusive and loud—would that affect to any degree the ability of the tree to survive?
11:50 a.m.
Chair, Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
As far as I know, if it's not in the immediate vicinity of the root ball of the tree—the vibrations might alter the actual structure of the earth around it and that might loosen up its roots. Unless it's very close to there, I don't know that it would have any negative effect on the elm's survival.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON
Okay.
I have one last question then.
Let's say we make it our goal to try to allow the tree to survive. If it turns out that it is healthy enough that we can expect that it would survive for years into the future if treated properly, what positive actions ought to be taken for its health?
For example, right now, temporary structures associated with the construction are being moved in and placed quite close to the tree in that area. As always happens in a construction zone, you put those temporary structures in spots that will not be excavated but rather in areas that are close to the excavations.
Does any of that—having a lot of traffic over and around its roots— negatively affect the tree?
11:50 a.m.
Chair, Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
Yes. If it is going to be a construction zone with heavy equipment all around it, then that compacts the soil. That makes it very difficult. Often trees are lost to exactly just that, the “oops” moments that occur as a result of construction work too close to a mature tree. At a minimum, very solid hoarding would have to be built around the tree to protect it in terms of its immediate surroundings. Preferably, it would not be in a construction zone. Preferably, the construction zone would be moved.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON
The impression I get is that they are not going to have heavy equipment moving through that exact spot and that the immediate vicinity is going to be occupied by those trailers that get dropped in place, in which people go to examine drawings and warm up in the winter and so on.
11:55 a.m.
Chair, Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
We had thought, in fact, that it was going to be a staging area in that way. If that's the case, then it would just need to be protected. We were told, that, no, in fact that tree and all the other trees that were there are in the middle of the planned excavation area.
11:55 a.m.
Conservative
Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON
Right.
We're going to find out in a few minutes from the folks who are actually administering this what that situation is.
I want to thank you again. This has been really helpful. I have learned a lot from your testimony.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
I have a couple of quick follow-up questions.
Mr. Garrison commented that there's only one tree visible. I'd like to correct the record. There are actually tens of thousands of trees visible in the background.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
On the Hill, there are fewer.
I just want to make sure we don't lose sight of the forest for the trees there.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
One is visible on the Hill.
For the elm tree, if it's only one, how do we pollinate it? Can it be pollinated? Is there another tree around here that could be used to do so? Can it self-pollinate like corn can?
11:55 a.m.
Chair, Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
Elms are actually both sexes. They self-pollinate.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Then this tree, if it were left to survive, would have viable seeds survive.
11:55 a.m.
Chair, Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
It could survive and it could propagate itself.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
My point was not whether it could propagate itself but whether we could harvest those seeds for use to replant elms after this tree disappears.
11:55 a.m.
Chair, Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
That's a very good point.
The seeds could likely be harvested. There is a group called the elm recovery project, at the arboretum at the University of Guelph.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
11:55 a.m.
Chair, Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
That group collects genetic material from these centenary elms. This particular elm wasn't registered with them, and we registered it with the arboretum.
We spoke with PSPC when we had the opportunity to meet with Ms. Garrett—who is here today—and we spoke about the elm recovery project. They undertook to contact the university. We were already in contact with them. I don't know whether we worked as matchmakers here or not, but in the end the contact was made.
Our understanding now is that the University of Guelph has collected twigs from the elm, and that these twigs will then be grafted into root stock and have saplings grown from them. In four or five years they'll be inoculated with the Dutch elm disease—not all of them, but a sample—to see how they react and if they have any resistance. Then the researchers will know whether this elm has genetic material that is resistant to the Dutch elm disease or not. In any event, there will be young trees propagated from this elm.
