The City of Toronto was recognized with a 2015 Ontario Wood Award for repurposing city trees and promoting local wood products and urban forestry services.

Forests Ontario and Ontario Wood, a buy local brand of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, presented the honour at Forest Ontario’s 2015 Conference in Alliston, Ontario—the largest forestry conference in the province.

Rob McMonagle, senior adviser on the green economy for Toronto, who was on hand to help accept the award, said that repurposing lumber could offer a solution to wood waste from the Emerald Ask Borer. One such project includes the potentially cost-saving Nashdene Yard, a pilot project to repurpose wood waste into useable lumber from diseased and damaged trees.

Among various other projects is the Urban Wood Directory that connects Toronto businesses and residents to local wood producers and services, such as carpenters and arborists.

“Of course most Torontonians don’t have a background in forestry,” said McMonagle. “The Urban Wood Directory was created to bring a greater awareness to the services available for tree care in the city and to promote the many local businesses producing one-of-a-kind products from local wood.”

About 5,100 Toronto-based companies specialize in such products and services, employing more than 25,000 workers.