Editor:
I heartily agree that the city is allowing too many trees that provide us with oxygen, soil stabilization and shelter, both from the heat and for wildlife, to be cut.
I am looking at eight 60- to 80-foot cedars, spruce, pine and fir trees from my kitchen window, growing on a lot slated for development, and I have been told by the developer that they are trying to save three of them. If we were to sell our lot, our gorgeous large cedars, hemlock and big-leaf maples would also likely come down.
A forest around the corner, at Malvern and Hazard, was removed several years ago to accommodate the development of six lots with a view of Deer Lake, two of which are still on the market and which look like they might be unstable.
A small part of the area has been replanted, but you cannot replace a forest of mature trees with three- to five-foot bushes and trees. The wildlife disappeared.
Same story with another lot around the same corner, and one behind us, where extremely large homes resulted in the removal of the trees.
The city has also done its own fair share of cutting trees deemed to be unstable because they “might” fall down.
These examples amount to four tree removal projects within a block-and-a-half of us. I do not know what Burnaby is thinking, but they would do well to look at developments in Vancouver where large apartments have been built, leaving very tall trees intact (e.g. West 10th and Maple).
I believe owners and developers also need to take some responsibility in preventing damage from further climate change by leaving our green canopy as is and designing with that in mind.
Marion Shikaze
📢 SOUND OFF: Is Burnaby doing enough to save trees? What should be done to help preserve the city's tree canopy and greenspaces as Burnaby develops? Share your thoughts — send us a letter.
