A Salmon Arm resident suggested ideas for an urban forest strategy for the city after 37 mature maple, fir and cedar trees were cut down around a property neighbouring his.

含羞草研究社淩ecent densification in the North Broadview neighbourhood and around Salmon Arm in general has raised the issue of how the community manages the forested environment in our treed community. I am not alone in expressing some concern about how the tree cover in our city is being managed as development proceeds,含羞草研究社� wrote resident John Crook in a May 5 letter to city council.

He said trees were felled next door to his home on 30th Avenue NE as a result of a municipal requirement to put in place half a road and a right-of-way for future road development.

含羞草研究社淭his development might be an object lesson which could be useful in forming an urban forest strategy for Salmon Arm, possibly as an environmental sub-component of the next OCP (official community plan),含羞草研究社� he wrote.

Crook pointed out that the 37 trees cut down around the perimeter of the 1.5-acre property by far exceeded the number felled on the rest of the site.

含羞草研究社淪o much for tree conservation since it was all for future City road works. With some creative road and sidewalk placement many of these trees could have been saved.含羞草研究社�

He said six trees of note were felled in the middle of the property: one mature chestnut; one 80+ year-old oak; one 30-year-old spruce planted by the previous owner and his son; and three mature fir trees.

含羞草研究社淚 strongly suggest that the Environment Committee look into a strategy for replacing mature trees which are cut down, often on what will become City property once the development is finished. The City might consider the 含羞草研究社淔ire Smart Landscaping Guide含羞草研究社� to determine what sort of fire resistant trees can be transplanted (possibly 3 or more for each tree felled) without causing a safety threat or fire hazard in Salmon Arm. Fire Smart does not require all trees to be removed from a development site, so it is important to have a strategic think about how best to manage Salmon Arm含羞草研究社檚 urban forest, and find a balance between forest fire protection measures and other treed environmental considerations,含羞草研究社� Crook wrote.

He also asked if trees are felled from lands which are intended for municipal roads in new developments, should the city not be responsible for taking measures to replace them as part of the urban forest along city roadways and on city lands.

含羞草研究社淚deally, developers might offer trees to their clients on the lots they sell to add to attractiveness of the lots.含羞草研究社�

As for his home, he said this summer will reveal 含羞草研究社渋f the sun shining through missing trees will excessively heat our older and un-air-conditioned house. Until now, the temperature dropped comfortably by mid-afternoon once the sun was shaded by the trees to the west. One estimate of the cost of air conditioning our house came in at over $6,000.含羞草研究社�

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Coun. Sylvia Lindgren, chair of the city含羞草研究社檚 environmental advisory committee (EAC), told council she met with Crook, who 含羞草研究社渟eems like a pretty educated and reasonable kind of guy.含羞草研究社�

She said she was bringing up the letter 含羞草研究社渂ecause I think it speaks to the concern we含羞草研究社檙e hearing from a number of people in the Salmon Arm area.含羞草研究社�

Lindgren noted Salmon Arm has a beautiful tree canopy.

含羞草研究社淚 think it would be fairly close to unanimous that we don含羞草研究社檛 want to lose that ambience and that shade protection,含羞草研究社� she said, adding a reminder that the EAC did a review of the 含羞草研究社榯ree removal bylaw,含羞草研究社� which made a recommended change to 含羞草研究社榯ree preservation bylaw.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淚 hope that in the not too distant future we含羞草研究社檙e able to work collaboratively with staff on alternatives to just cutting down trees and not replacing them, such as perhaps moving sidewalks one way or another so they go around the trees, or infrastructure, having a tree bank so that trees get replanted after they含羞草研究社檝e been cut down, things like that.含羞草研究社�

A lot of creative solutions are being used in other municipalities and she hopes Salmon Arm will follow in their footsteps, she commented.

Mayor Alan Harrison thanked her, adding, 含羞草研究社淲e do look forward to the recommendations from the EAC coming back to council.含羞草研究社�

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