Urban Forests

Urban forests are increasingly under threat in British Columbia and around the world

 

Urban forests are coming down in spite of concerns about hot and dry weather and the urban heat island effect. We need forests to create rain, clean the air and absorb pollution and yet urban forests are coming down anyway.

 

City councils don’t understand the importance of trees

City councils are often beholden to developers and are not held responsible for their decisions negatively impacting trees, forests and wildlife.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Photo: Adrien Olichon/Pexels
 

 

Tree Protection Bylaws and Urban Forest Strategies

 

Metro Vancouver has a tool kit that municipalities are supposed to follow about increasing tree canopy. Despite this many Lower Mainland councils seem to do what they please. One dramatic example is the lengths that the Vancouver Park Board has gone to deforest Stanley Park, cutting the larger living trees while leaving the thinner less marketable ones. They maintain that it’s to combat the hemlock looper moth but that doesn’t explain why they are cutting down healthy, living trees.

Unfortunately Bill 44, the BC Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023 will likely negatively impact tree protections and significantly reduce urban forests throughout British Columbia. The Narwhal article, New Housing Rules in B.C. trigger fears of ‘catastrophic’ loss of urban trees addresses the harms of Bill 44 relating to the ability to protect trees and to protect local autonomy. “Critics say the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach removes local autonomy and threatens urban forests, including Greater Victoria’s endangered Garry oak ecosystem.” Adam Olsen, a BC Green Party MLA, says that the BC NDP government failed to consult the public about Bill 44 ‘in any way.’

How do we protect urban forests in the face of development pressures and now Bill 44? Below are links to municipal tree bylaws and local efforts to protect trees. One hopes that Bill 44 can be challenged on the basis that it removes municipal autonomy.

 

Municipalities

BC

 

Aldergrove

Please see Langley

 

Burnaby

Burnaby Tree Protection Bylaw

Burnaby Urban Forest Strategy

Burnaby State of the Urban Forest Report | August 2023

Burnaby Burnaby council concerned about developers cutting down trees, evading bylaws | July 2024

 

Chilliwack

Chilliwack Tree Protection Bylaw

Chilliwack Urban Forests

Chilliwack Urban Forest Advocates

Chilliwack Urban Forest Advocates Facebook Group

 

Coquitlam

Coquitlam Tree Management Bylaw

 

Delta

Delta Tree Management Bylaw

Preserve the Winskill Park Forest | July 2024

Early morning protest seeks to protect trees in Winskill Park | October 2024

Plan to remove almost 170 trees from Delta park draws local blowback | October 2024

Save the Winskill Park Forest FB Group

Tsawwassen Voices for Responsible Development FB Group

✍️ Petition to Save Winskill Forest

 

District of North Vancouver

District of North Vancouver Tree Protection Bylaw

 

Langley

Langley Township Tree Protection Bylaw

Langley Township Community Forest Management Strategy

Langley Township Greater Langley Tree Stewardship Facebook group

 

Lantzville

Lantzville finally adopted a tree protection by-law in 2022 – the Lantzville Tree Protection Bylaw but still allowed a developer to clear a massive chunk of land off the main Lantzville Road.

Lantzville Lantzville mulls FOG (future old-growth) zones | March 2024

 

Metro Vancouver

CBC News Metro Vancouver tree canopy in decline amid push for new housing | April 2024

2020 Regional Tree Canopy Cover and Impervious Surface in Metro Vancouver | March 2024

 

Nanaimo

“Urban forests are a valuable component to our environment and Nanaimo is fortunate to enjoy one that is rich in diversity. As this is a time of year for preparing our yards and gardens for the growing season ahead, residents should be aware of the Tree Bylaw and ensure they are complying with it.”.  Patrick McIntosh, Urban Forestry Coordinator, City of Nanaimo

Nanaimo Tree Protection Bylaw

Nanaimo Urban Forestry

 

Penticton

Penticton Tree Protection Bylaw

Penticton’s Urban Forest Facebook Group

 

Port Coquitlam

Port Coquitlam Tree Protection Bylaw

 

Richmond

Richmond Tree Protection Bylaw

Save Richmond Trees Facebook Group

Richmond News East Richmond residents up in arms about healthy trees taken down | July 2024

 

Saanich

Saanich Tree Protection Bylaw

Saanich Urban Forest Strategy

Saanich Saanich’s new Biodiversity Conservation Strategy ignores key recommendations from experts | October 2024

 

Surrey

Surrey Tree Protection Bylaw

Surrey Green Timbers Heritage Society

Surrey Great Trees of Surrey

Surrey Sunnyside Acres Heritage Society – Preserve the Semiahmoo Trail Forest

Surrey LETTER: Don’t let Surrey reduce greenspace and tree canopy | September 2024

Surrey Surrey amends Tree Protection Bylaw to ‘improve clarity’ | October 2024

Surrey LETTER: South Surrey forest is more than just trees | November 2024

  • The City of Surrey’s plan to expand Sunnyside Cemetery threatens 30 acres of mature second-growth forest surrounding the historic Semiahmoo Trail.

Surrey Petition against Surrey cemetery expansion takes root | October 2024

✍️ Petition to Preserve the Semiahmoo Trail Forest – Oppose the Expansion of the Sunnyside Lawn Cemetery

 

Vancouver

Vancouver Street Tree By-law

Vancouver Urban Forests

Vancouver Street Tree database

Vancouver 2022 Tree Canopy Assessment (via Facebook)

Vancouver Vancouver Let’s Talk Trees! With Park Board Commissioner Tom Digby Facebook Group

Vancouver Ancient Trees of Vancouver Facebook Group

Provincial Vancouver Charter Part XXIX Protection of Trees

Green Party of Vancouver Opposition Councillors unite to seek ABC support to expand urban tree canopy to fight global warming and protect peoples’ health city-wide

✍️ Petition for to Save Stanley Park Halt logging of Stanley Park immediately!

✍️ Petition for Stanley Park Demand the resignation of Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Tom Digby

✍️ Petition for Memorial South Park OUR Park, NOT FIFA’s Field

✍️ Petition for City Hall Park and Trees Save City Hall Park

✍️ Petition for Stanley Park Waters Save Stanley Park Waters

 

Victoria

Victoria Tree Protection Bylaw

Victoria Trees & Urban Forest

Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society

 

View Royal

Town of View Royal Request for audit of Bill 44 | November 2023

 

White Rock

White Rock Tree Protection Bylaw

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image by Donovan Kelly from Pexels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Luke Miller/Pexels