The best windbreak is an urban forest

I was reading about Alphabet’s Sidewalk Toronto project and the idea of making streets more pedestrian-friendly in winter caught my eye.

I am not exactly sure how https://sidewalktoronto.ca/ plans to do that yet (actually they intend to erect a few useless vertical panels to deflect breezes but they will only end up creating a more forceful wind tunnel instead) but I asked myself how would I make the pedestrian experience better in a tough Canadian winter?

Hmm, here’s how…

You can be walking on a winter’s day in deep bush/forest at minus 30 Celsius and be so warm you have to take your outer coat off. How come? There’s no wind.

I mean why do deer retreat to deep forest during cold nights? Because they’re not stupid–they know a windchill can kill them and their Bambis.

So, my solution would be to plant a THICK urban forest along woonerf streets.

Here’s my quick sketch plan of same:

Want proof that you can make northern shelf cities walkable even during wintertime?

Here Patrick Kerr, a union red seal boiler maker, and Prof Bruce prove it using a single cedar tree as a windbreak at Sandbanks Provincial Park, Ontario (15-minutes from Picton).

Here’s the approach road to Sandbanks… notice how it is enclosed by woodland, which provides a natural wind barrier. Homes (and campsites) are located a few meters away and pedestrians as well as dwellings are sheltered.

Here’re a few pictures from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/147211481542143448/?lp=true, which show how to build these effectively from scratch:

FOR REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT AND BUSINESS COACHING THAT’LL HELP YOU PROVIDE FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FOR 3-GENERATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Bruce M Firestone, B Eng (civil), M Eng-Sci, PhD

Real Estate Investment and Business coach

ROYAL LePAGE Performance Realty broker

Ottawa Senators founder

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bruce.firestone@century21.ca

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postscript: here’s what not to do–build artificial windscreens at windswept places like Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa Canada that become wind-tunnels instead of windbreaks…