Vancouver to remove a fraction of 160K Stanley Park trees it originally estimated

The City of Vancouver has importantly reduced its estimation of the fig of trees that volition request to beryllium removed from Stanely Park.

In November of 2023, the Vancouver Park Board estimated that up to 160,000 trees that had been killed by a hemlock looper period infestation would request to beryllium chopped down for information reasons.

But successful an estimation released this week, that fig has been importantly downgraded.

“So we are suspecting we volition apt beryllium removing anyplace from 20,000 to 30,000 successful the park, lone those that are causing the astir hazard to nationalist safety,” Joel McLeod, subordinate manager of municipality forestry told Global News.

“We volition beryllium leaving the bulk of the trees that are dead, particularly those that are retired of high-use areas.”

While this is the archetypal clip the metropolis has presented an alternate estimation for the fig of trees to beryllium removed, McLeod said the 160,00 fig was lone considered “very aboriginal on” successful the process.

He added that galore of the dormant trees are small, oregon bash not airs a superior information hazard for different reasons.

“But I deliberation it’s just to accidental that that has ne'er truly been the lawsuit that we are readying to region each 160,000 trees park,” helium said. “Only 20,000 of the trees transcend 20cm successful diameter.”

McLeod could not accidental erstwhile the city’s estimation changed, and it was not instantly wide wherefore the 160,000 fig was near to basal publically for astir a year.

There person been different transparency concerns astir the histrion removal process.

The fig of trees that had really been removed from the parkland lone came to airy successful June, and successful an email sent lone to parkland committee stakeholders.

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And successful September, a confidential memo obtained by Global News revealed an $11.1-million fund summation for the work.

Michael Caditz, a subordinate of the radical Save Stanley Park that has taken the metropolis to tribunal implicit the operation, said determination has been a signifier of obfuscation from the city.

“This full cognition is suspect, has failed successful truthful galore ways with respect to transparency, with respect to democracy,” helium said.

“What’s happening present with this disorder and uncertainty astir however galore trees is conscionable underlining the concerns that I and different radical successful my radical and I judge galore citizens successful Vancouver person astir the benignant of willy-nilly unscientific quality of this full logging operation.”

It’s an assertion McLeod disputes, saying the program has been cautiously crafted successful consultation with biologists, foresters and hazard assessors, each with the purpose of balancing information and the city’s values astir the park.

“We worth the assets of Stanley Park arsenic overmuch arsenic the assemblage does, we admit it is simply a existent jewel for the radical of Vancouver arsenic good arsenic the 20 cardinal radical that sojourn Stanley Park annually,” helium said.

“I conscionable privation to reassure the nationalist we bash person the semipermanent stewardship of Stanley Park successful our hearts and minds and are dedicated to maintaining this reverential space.”