A tree species planted by the city is causing a stir in the Northwest Calgary community of Cambrian Heights.
The Ohio Buckeye is popular for providing shade and changing with the seasons. However, the nut it produces can be toxic to pets if ingested.
Several of these trees, which are producing the nuts, are currently planted in the Cambrian Heights dog park.
“Some residents have reported in the past, these trees being potentially hazardous to their dogs,” says Daryl Connolly, the president of the Cambrian Heights Community Association.
“We’ve passed that comment on to parks, and the response has been that their specialist in tree planting are aware of the issue but obviously don’t think its a major concern or concern enough to do anything about the trees.”
If ingested, the nut of the Ohio Buckeye can cause vomiting, diarrhea or bring on complicated medical issues for pets.
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Dr. Julie Schell, a veterinarian at Bow Bottom Veterinary Hospital, says that more consideration is needed when deciding what flora and where.
“We need to be thinking thoroughly and proficiently because everything might look beautiful, to see some of these flowers. It might look safe and beautiful at certain times of the year but we have to watch what’s going to happen year round. Especially during the fall harvest when the leave and the nuts and the berries together are on the ground so it’s important to work together with ecologists, agriculturists, veterinarians.”
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If a pet owner suspects their animal has eaten an Ohio Buckeye nut, Schell recommends calling their vet straight away. Sometimes they can diagnose symptoms over the phone, Schell adds, but most incidents require a trip to the clinic to induce a purge.
In a statement to Global News, the City of Calgary says:
“One of our key goals in urban forestry is to promote biodiversity by planting a wide variety of tree species in public spaces. While some trees and plants may have naturally occurring toxic traits that could pose risks if ingested by humans or animals, the likelihood of such incidents is very low.
“As responsible pet owners, it’s important to remain vigilant and discourage pets from ingesting any foreign objects—especially in public areas where a range of vegetation is present. This helps ensure both their safety and the continued health of our urban forest.”
In other words…we f#^k^d up and are not fixing it
just let it go .
Worry about other plant life like fox tail
Grass .
Chocolate and tennis bits , socks are much more concerning than a frigging tree . Talk to the vet they will tell you .
It’s ohios state tree . Go ahead and tell your stupid rant
Why am I not surprised?
Good grief. More tempest in a teapot drama queening.
Don’t bring your dog there if your dog is so uncontrollable that it will it ignore commands and gobble up anything it can find.
Wow some people need nannying. Grow up
Just ask someone’s Grandpa for a saw take it down yourself. Stop waiting for the city to remove dangerous weeds like foxtail or dangerous tree nuts.
The community has a right to keep their dogs safe what if a small child puts a nut in their mouth.
This is not truly a big concern, the nuts are encased in spiked outer shells which are not attractive to dogs, they don’t taste good, and a dog would have to eat many of them to be dangerous. There is no need to be concerned unless you let your dog graze on anything they find in dog parks. This is a tempest in a tea pot. I have a Buckeye in my backyard, a yew and digitalis and have owned dogs my whole life. I have never had an issue.
Never plant buckeyes. Huge poison nuts. Plant chestnuts. Practically same tree. Not toxic.
Dog parks should have never been funded by taxpayers to begin with
Colleen Whitley
July 15, 2026 at 8:08 am
I phoned 311 about Ohio Buckeye trees being planted on a street leading to an elementary school. I called after walking behind some parents and their kids calling the emerging fruit chestnuts. I corrected them saying they were
NOT chestnits and were edible. I think more education about nature would help too.
Teach children real nature stuff? Government? Are you kidding. Kids are pretty smart. Cant have them figuring out all the lies.
I thought cities where trying to ‘naturalize’ the parks and greenspaces? I thought they were consulting with the feathered stewards and their own biologists with all the feathers in their caps as well on this?
Last I heard, Ohio Buckeye is a tree from the US mid west deciduous forests. Not native to Canada at all.
We are being screwed by the fascists in control. They want to strip everything and turn it into some gentrified h*ll.
I phoned 311 about Ohio Buckeye trees being planted on a street leading to an elementary school. I called after walking behind some parents and their kids calling the emerging fruit chestnuts. I corrected them saying they were
NOT chestnits and were edible. I think more education about nature would help too.