In 2014, we the community of White Rock and our White Rock employees, need to rewrite the present Community Plan, Tree Management Policy and Bylaw, which in their present form appear to show a lack of environmental awareness and if allowed to remain as now written may result in the elimination of all large, tall, native trees; especially conifers like Douglas firs and cedars. These few existing trees are endangered and are being removed because of the present Community Plan, Tree Management Policy and Bylaw, that appear to value development, views and money, more than “like-sustaining” trees that are necessary for a livable community with a positive quality of life. This is at the expense of the environment and individual well-being!
However, I believe that we, that is, most of the White Rock community and in harmony with the enlightened, compassionate, majority of our world, who are environmentally aware and who can see and are concerned for the big picture, the welfare of others and the health of the environment. Therefore, since action speaks louder than words, we need to take positive action now. We need to become aware of the value of BIODIVERSITY, of trees, big and small, as well as of all plants, animals, air, lands and waters which are necessary for the health of the environment and the well-being of people in our community and the world, now and for future generations. We must value that which is greater, that is positive and long-lasting, and rise above selfishness and greed and be happy with less. We must be concerned for, and provide service to, others in the community and to the environment. Self-interests, money, things, views, bigger boxes (houses), towers or developments mean nothing if our children have no future.
As trees are threatened here and globally, so our lives, our children’s lives and the greater environment are threatened as well.
Section 1. of our present, (2010/reviewed 2012) Tree Management Policy, (City Operations – 611), states:
“It is the policy of the City of White Rock to manage, preserve and enhance trees on City lands while taking into consideration established views from White Rock properties and scenic views in the City. The long-term objective is ensure the sustainability of the City’s urban forest assets by increasing the number of healthy trees and amount of the tree canopy in the City, without negatively impacting established views that are important to City of White Rock property owners and the City.”
Section 6. of the City Policy permits residents to apply for pruning or removal of trees; residents can apply to prune or remove, to “re-establish a view due to a tree growing over time to obscure an established view from a property.”
We need to allow ALL trees on ALL lands (public and private), especially endangered native conifers, like Douglas firs and cedars, to grow to their natural height, size and shape – to maturity. We must preserve and protect all trees in perpetuity. We do not re-establish views by pruning or removing a living tree because it does what it naturally does – it grows! We value trees and their life and purpose, just as we value our own life and purpose.
Section 8. of the City Tree Management Policy, discusses trees on City lands affected by development. Our new Community Plan and Policy will need to make clear that ALL trees on ALL lands, (city or private), need to be preserved and protected in perpetuity to help restore a healthy climate and environment. We need to create a NEW Community Plan that states that we have to include trees in our development plans. We have to plan around trees. We will have to build SMALLER, more efficiently and more environmentally friendly. We’ll have to develop on existing developments, on the same building “footprints”. We may need to hire special urban planners or futurists – those with imagination, insight and inspiration, that is, “imagineers”. It all requires a new level of environmental awareness, with the motivation to “turn things around”, and move in a positive direction. It will be our children and grand children who will ask us what we did to make the Earth a better, healthier place to live, for all life forms. (This ends my comments on Tree Management Policy)
Our present (2010) Tree Management Bylaw 1831, allows the City to legally preserve and protect trees and regulate removal and replacement. The present Bylaw states that you cannot remove, prune, damage, top…. “protected trees”, (includes large, specimen, heritage, nesting trees….), on any City land, as well as in “certain areas” shown in Schedule B (Bylaw), unless you have a permit. “Certain areas”, includes City parks and ravines, existing significant stands of mature trees (eg: Centennial and Rotary Park, and Evergreen Care Home), and “Ecosystem Enhancement Areas”, (blocked areas that represent approximately one half of White Rock City, border to border).
If a tree is not a “protected” tree and not in these certain areas and is on private land, then it can be removed or pruned without a permit. Also, a “protected” tree on City lands or in certain areas can be removed or pruned by applying for a permit and showing “just cause”, for example, view re-establishment or development considerations.
Our new (2014) Bylaw needs to say that, “In compliance with our new (2014)
Community Plan and “BIOPLAN”, (see Part 4), ALL trees, young and mature, existing and future trees, (not just “protected” trees), in ALL areas, on ALL lands, City and private, are hereby preserved and protected in perpetuity. There will be no removing, topping, or damaging of trees and effective immediately there will be an ongoing community program of organic tree maintenance and care and vigorous replacement and planting is to be done by tree professionals and knowledgeable city staff. Replacement trees will be a variety of native and other compatible species to create a BIODIVERSITY of plants and animals in our community. Trees that are presently endangered, such as native conifers, will be the first trees to be planted to create epicentres of strong, tall, healthy native trees. This is all to be done immediately in order to enhance our local community ecosystems which also will improve and rejuvenate the larger environment of our planet.
There will be only limited exceptions to this new Bylaw, that is, removal permits will be granted only in the case of hazardous, dead or diseased trees, which will be determined by unbiased, certified arborists. All other cases will be considered “no-cause” removals that will not be allowed and permits will not be granted, as in the cases of re-establishing a view, or creating a new view, or development proposals that do not include and consider the trees.
Part eight and three, of the present Tree Management Bylaw discusses “replacement trees which must comply with principles in the Community Plan. The City encourages replacement trees that are of a species that will not grow to block viewscapes of neighbouring properties”.
It would seem that if the present Community Plan, Policy and Bylaw that grant permits for removal in certain cases, remain in place, tall native trees like firs and cedars, that impact property views and development, will gradually be replaced with small, low-canopy species which have less of an impact. However this loss of large native trees has a negative effect on the environment and on BIODIVERSITY.
The new 2014 Bylaw must change the present replacement tree specifications. There needs to be an increase in the minimum number of replacement trees to be planted. These trees must, 1) be judged to be equivalent to the tree removed and, 2) be as many as 10x the number currently recommended. If a non-native species was removed then we should replace it with a native species so that a balance is restored. These trees should be healthy and at least 5 years old. If a native tree, such as a Douglas fir or
cedar, was removed, the replacement tree should be the same species because their tall species are endangered. In time, once balance is restored, if a non-native tree was removed we should replace it with a similar species that is healthy and compatible in our local ecosystem and has a similar size, shape and function. Trees must be planted in a site where they will flourish, regardless of views that may be impacted. This again, is to be done to restore a balanced, diverse, well-functioning ecosystem where trees will have value and views will not. Once a balance of tree species is achieved we can then add other plant species.
Regarding other parts of the present Tree Management Bylaw No. 1831, that refer to permits and applications for tree removal or pruning of trees that “obstruct” views or building development, or trees that appear dead or hazardous, etc., I believe that when a New Community Plan and Bio Plan with a New Policy and Bylaw are in place, the application process for permits will be more rigorous and require much greater (10x greater) fees and securities, and assessment reports than we presently have. And at every step we will require the approval of an unbiased arborist. Penalties will similarly be increased if terms are breached etc. In the New Plan and Bylaw it will be made clear that the applicant must pay additionally for the planting and subsequent care of a significant number of replacement trees on the property and elsewhere in the city. Taking any action against a tree is something we need to consider carefully, so in future if the application / permit process is lengthy it will also give us time to pause and reflect. We need to understand that tree removal and pruning is not a matter to be taken lightly since in fact it has an effect on our whole community, the environment and our future.
In future, we need to act in the best interests of all concerned, namely, the trees, all individuals in the community and their descendants, as well as the local and greater environment. If we do this we will have a livable community and planet – a living legacy – to pass on to our children’s children.
An enlightened community that understands the value of trees to our community, the environment and the planet, also respects trees and knows that it is necessary to preserve and protect, plant and care for trees now and forever, (in the same way that we now protect certain bird species, like eagles, who were endangered). We need a New Sustainable Community Plan that reflects this. In addition to any existing environment and climate action plans we need a New “Bio Plan” (see also Part 4 of this paper). “A Bio Plan is sustainable and increases the Biodiversity of native species – plants and animals”, (“The Global Forest”, Beresford – Kroeger, 2010). Preserving and protecting in perpetuity, ALL trees on ALL lands, especially our native tall conifers, like Douglas
firs and cedars which are endangered, and also planting more of them and other native species would be one positive step in such a Bio Plan.
Trees sustain like on this planet. View properties, money, the economy, or irresponsible development (that is, not responsible to the community or the environment) do not sustain life. We have a choice to make……NOW!
Value Trees 