It’s been more than a year since the City of Thunder Bay has had an urban forester on staff, and the city is falling behind as a result, one councillor says. The previous urban forester, Shelly Vescio, left the position in October 2016 after 21 years in the role. Thunder Bay City Councillor Andrew Foulds, who chairs the city’s Earthcare committee, said he’s a bit frustrated over how long it’s taken to hire a replacement. As a result, Foulds said, the city is playing catch-up with regards to urban forestry. For example, more trees were cut down than planted in Thunder Bay in recent years, and the emerald ash borer will also see more trees lost. …The city has taken steps to fill in the urban forester gap, Foulds said.