Hazard Tree Removal from Municipal Lands Element

The Hazard Tree Removal from Municipal Lands Element aims to reduce the risk to public safety in the beetle zone via the removal of hazardous trees from municipal parks and public school yards.

Who is eligible?

Eligible applicants include municipalities (with legal status), school boards (as constituted under the provincial School Act) and First Nations bands and councils.

What land is eligible?

Hazard tree removal will be considered on land meeting the following three criteria:

within a municipal park or land owned by a School Board where safe public use is threatened by beetle-killed trees
within forest stands having mountain pine beetle current or past attack, and
in areas that have demonstrated active fuel management.

What can the funding be used for?

Activities funded under the Hazard Tree Removal Element may include:

hazard tree assessments and preparing plans and prescriptions for treatments to reduce risks and hazards
removal of beetle-killed trees and associated debris, and
verification of environmental compliance.

Activities must:

directly address human safety at risk as a result of the mountain pine beetle infestation
be acceptable to a professional forester in terms of hazard management planning, and
comply with environmental requirements.

Recipients may hire contractors to conduct the work. Tree removal activities undertaken by residential property owners will not be eligible.

How much funding is available?

Assistance will be prioritized for communities that have been the hardest hit by the mountain pine beetle epidemic and for areas where public safety is most threatened. Recipients will be awarded funding consistent with the size and duration of the projects, with the maximum amount payable per project being $100,000 per fiscal year.

How is the program delivered?

The Hazard Tree Removal Element complements the public and community safety objective of Program 3 and is delivered by Natural Resources Canada in cooperation with BC municipalities using the Request for Proposal process.