To the editor:
Re: “City passes tougher tree bylaw,” 12th & Cambie, April 30.
The city recently passed a bylaw aimed at restricting the cutting down of trees on private property in Vancouver. I applaud the city for this move as trees are not only beautiful to look at but are incredibly important in keeping our environment healthy.
What I don’t understand is how the city can on the one hand create this new bylaw yet on the other hand allow developers to cut down swaths of mature trees throughout the city. I’m thinking specifically of the Cambie Corridor, where dozens and dozens of 1950s bungalows are facing the wrecking ball to make way for new developments.
A quick glance at the front yards and back gardens of these houses and one is amazed at how many types of mature fruit and flowering trees are on these properties. These trees and bushes not only clean our air but provide shelter for birds and animals.
Developers can cut down all these trees because they fall “within the building envelope” according to the bylaw. What will they replace them with? The ubiquitous cedar hedges or small boxwood shrubs? The variety of trees will never be duplicated. Any new trees planted will probably be male trees, which do not produce flowers or fruit, much like all the trees the city currently plants along boulevards.
The city is in partnership with Treekeepers.ca to encourage homeowners to plant trees. Citizens can buy different types of trees and plant in their backyards. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy of this?
I would ask Mayor Robertson how he can reconcile the Greenest City that he’s pushing with the systematic removal of mature trees on properties to make way for condos.
Einat Stojicevic,
Vancouver
