© Brittany Killingbeck
Backyard Tree Planting Pilot Program
New! Backyard Tree Planting Pilot Program in partnership with the City of Hamilton, funded by the Climate Change Reserve.
Hamilton’s Backyard Tree Planting Pilot Program is a new initiative delivered through a partnership between the City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club. In 2026, the pilot program will provide 50 eligible residents in the Bartonville, Normanhurst, and Homeside neighbourhoods (Ward 4) with a FREE professionally planted native tree to help expand Hamilton’s urban canopy, strengthen biodiversity, and support healthier, more resilient neighbourhoods.
All program inquiries can be directed to the Urban Forest Stewardship Project Lead at urbanforest@hamiltonnature.org
Program Overview
Hamilton homeowners and renters (with landlord permission) within the Bartonville, Normanhurst, and Homeside neighbourhoods (Ward 4) who have suitable backyard planting space available may participate in this backyard tree planting pilot program.
Program participants will have an on-site consultation with HNC staff to answer questions and determine an appropriate tree species for the space.
In the fall, a certified arborist will plant one (1) site-appropriate native tree, approximately 1.2-1.8 m (4-6 ft) tall, depending on the species.
There is no cost to program participants for the tree or its delivery, planting, or the initial mulch application. Participants must commit to watering and basic tree care once the tree is planted – a tree care guide and maintenance information package will be provided.
HNC staff and volunteers will visit the pilot study area in Summer 2026 to chat with property owners who may be interested in participating in the program.
Trees will be planted in Fall 2026 by a certified arborist.
The backyard tree planting pilot program aims to increase the urban canopy by planting native trees on private property (i.e. homeowners). The Bartonville, Normanhurst, and Homeside neighbourhoods (Ward 4) were selected for this pilot program based on lower tree canopy coverage and neighbourhood characteristics suitable for increasing canopy growth.
Trees from this pilot program must be planted in the backyard, not the front yard or side yard. Your yard should meet the basic spacing guidelines to be considered for a tree:
- 3 m from your house
- 1.5 m from your driveway
- 3 m from utility poles
- 1.5 m from the road allowance
- Clear of overhead hydro poles
If you are interested in a tree for your front yard or side yard, check out the City of Hamilton’s Street Tree Planting Program.
As part of the City of Hamilton’s commitment to biodiversity and the urban forest, the City is working to achieve the target of 40% urban forest canopy by 2050.
Urban forests provide humans with many benefits:
- Provide shade and reduce air temperature during the summer, and act as insulation during the winter (saving residents money on heating and cooling),
- Improve air quality by filtering pollutants,
- Help mitigate flooding and soil erosion by absorbing stormwater,
- Help mitigate the impacts of climate change by sequestering carbon, and
- Improve our mental and physical wellbeing.
Native tree species have been selected for planting because they are adapted to local growing conditions and provide significant ecological value. They support birds, pollinators, and local biodiversity while contributing long-term environmental, social, and community benefits.
Tree Species
Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
Mature Height: 15-30 m (50-98 ft)
Sun: Full or part sun
Moisture: Tolerates a wide range of moisture conditions
Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions; clay-tolerant
Description:
- Large leaves (15-25 cm long) with shiny green tops and pale hairy undersides
- Thick, dark grey bark with deep furrows
- Long, green catkins in spring
- 1.5 – 3 cm long acorns with a deep and bristle fringed cup
- Deep rooted; avoid areas near underground pipes
- Tolerant of air pollution and varied growing conditions
Wildlife Benefits: Acorns are a food source for mammals; provides nesting habitat and shelter; host plant for many insect species
Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Mature Height: 20 – 40 m (65 – 130 ft), averaging 30 m (98 ft)
Sun: Full or part sun
Moisture:Tolerates a wide range of moisture conditions
Soil: Sand or sandy loam prefered, but will grow in any soil condition; clay-tolerant
Description:
- Thin evergreen needles (6-12 cm long) in bunches of five
- Dark gray-brown bark with broad ridges (2-5 cm thick)
- 8-20 cm long cones that are produced every 3-5 years.
- Rapid growth as saplings that will slow with age
- Intolerant of road salt and compaction
Wildlife Benefits: Cones are a food source for birds and small mammals; provide nesting habitat and shelter
Black Maple (Acer nigrum)
Mature Height: Up to 35 m (115 ft)
Sun: Full or part sun; shade-tolerant
Moisture: Moist, well-drained soils prefered; tolerates a range of moisture conditions
Soil: Loamy soils prefered; clay-tolerant
Description:
- 3-lobed maple leaf with dark green tops, yellowish green undersides, and hairy leaf stalks
- Smooth, dark grey bark with thin, vertical ridges forming over time
- 5 green-yellow leaf-like sepals in spring
- Winged maple keys with two seeds
Wildlife Benefits: Food source for birds and mammals; provides nesting habitat and shelter; host plant for many insect species
American Basswood (Tilia americana)
Mature Height: Up to 35 m (115 ft)
Sun: Full sun, part sun, full shade
Moisture: Moist sites prefered; tolerates a wide range of moisture conditions
Soil: Rich, well-drained soils prefered but tolerates a wide range of soil conditions; clay-tolerant
Description:
- Large, heart-shaped leaves with jagged edges and short point
- Greyish-brown bark with long, narrow ridges; single or multi-stemmed growth
- Fragrant yellow flowers in midsummer
- Round, greyish-brown fruit with wing
Wildlife Benefits: Food source for insects, birds, and mammals; provides nesting habitat and shelter
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
Mature Height: Up to 12 m (39 ft)
Sun: Full or part sun
Moisture: Dry to moist
Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions; clay-tolerant
Description:
- Oval or round leaves (< 8 cm long) with fine teeth
- Smooth grey bark, often multi-stemmed
- Clusters of white flowers in spring
- Small red berries in early to mid-summer
- Moist loams prefered
Wildlife Benefits: Flowers are an early season food source for insects; fruits are a food source for birds and small mammals; provides nesting habitat and shelter; host plant for several butterfly species
Blue Beech (Carpinus caroliniana)
Mature Height: 8 – 10 m (26 -35 ft)
Sun: Full sun, part sun, full shade
Moisture: Moist sites prefered, can tolerate seasonal flooding
Soil: Rich, well-drained soils prefered; clay-tolerant
Description:
- Blue-green leaves with fine teeth
- Smooth grey bark with muscle-like ridges
- Long-green-brown catkins with red spots
- Small nuts in a leaf-like structure that hang in clusters and turn brown in late fall
- Small, slow-growing species that prefers moist, full shade conditions
Wildlife Benefits: Flowers are an early season food source for insects; seeds and buds are a food source for birds and small mammals; provides nesting habitat and shelter; host plant for several butterfly species
Ironwood (Ostrya virginiana)
Mature Height: Up to 12 m (39 ft)
Sun: Full sun, part sun, full shade
Moisture: Well-drained soil prefered; tolerates a range of moisture conditions but intolerant of flooding
Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions; clay-tolerant
Description:
- 7-12 cm long, dark yellow-green oval-shaped leaves with toothed edges and pointed tip
- Greyish-brown bark with short, peeling vertical strips
- Inconspicuous male and female flowers in spring
- Clusters of flattened nuts (5-8 mm) in an inflated sac (15 mm) covered in stiff hairs; resembles hops
- Intolerant of pollution and road salt, plant away from busy roads
Wildlife Benefits: Food source for birds and mammals; provides nesting habitat and shelter
Pagoda / Alternate-leaf Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Mature Height: 8 – 10 m (26-33 ft)
Sun: Part sun prefered; full sun with adequate moisture
Moisture: Evenly moist soil prefered; tolerates a range of moisture conditions
Soil: Nutrient-rich, well-drained soils prefered; tolerates a wide range of soil conditions; clay-tolerant
Description:
- 6-12 cm long leaves clustered at the end of branches; dark green tops with light green, fuzzy undersides and curved veins
- Bright green bark with vertical white streaks; new growth is purple
- Creamy-white flowers in late spring
- Dark blue berries on red stalks in midsummer
- Slow-growing shrub / small tree
Wildlife Benefits: Food source for insects, birds and mammals; provides nesting habitat and shelter
Bur Oak
Eastern White Pine
Black Maple
American Basswood
Serviceberry
Blue Beech
Ironwood
