Local firm makes useful products from condemned and felled trees

The city of Toronto is estimated to lose nearly 860,000 ash trees over the next 10 years due to the presence of an insect called Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). This devastating insect feeds off the wood beneath the bark of ash trees and is capable of quickly spreading itself to several kilometres of distance by flight. In order to contain the problem and prevent infestation to other areas, the Federal government has implemented quarantine zones which include the city of Toronto. This means that no ash wood or the products derived from it is allowed to leave the area.

As of spring 2014, Urban Tree Salvage is the only wood salvaging operation in Toronto to be certified by the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency), allowing UTS to salvage, process and ship all hardwood lumber, including Ash, worldwide through their Canadian Heat Treatment Wood Products Certification Program, or CHTWPCP. This certification system prevents the movement of plant quarantine pests by regulating the export of wood products to comply with import requirements from countries that require heat treatment prior to entry.

With this certification, UTS plans to develop a market to reduce the extremely high volume of quality logs being turned into mulch, into sustainably friendly products. By producing these diseased and felled trees into a higher value product, we as a city are also doing our part to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions that will feed into our environment in decades to come. Help UTS take Toronto’s lost ash trees and produce them into this city’s most sustainable lumber and furniture products.

Founded in Toronto in 2004, Urban Tree Salvage has established a reputation for themselves as Canada’s largest urban log salvaging operation based in Toronto. UTS takes permit felled Toronto trees removed due to disease, storms, insects and urban development and turns them into value added products.
UTS is the city’s one stop shop offering salvaged live edge slabs, reclaimed wood and custom made tables, all with an environmental and sustainability focus.