This week our neighbourhood lost two long-term residents. One had a bit of a lean, but the other was perfectly good to the core. If these were humans, we would have done everything to save them. Unfortunately, they were trees, deciduous trees at that, so unceremoniously, they were cut, shredded and dumped. According to the news, a neighbour was concerned that they may damage her house. According to the city, the removal was not a concern to put before the neighbouring residents.
Well, the city was very, very wrong.
Is this my city? We get to comment when something goes up, but no opportunity to comment, or at minimum, be notified before major structures come down? To make matters worse, the only person who could address our concerns was inconveniently out of the office and unavailable by cell phone, and still has not responded. Staff refused to meet on site to discuss the situation. Frustration and a feeling of complete helplessness overcame me.
The fact that this happens every day in our community is shocking. That we allow it and that I pay for it, more so.
Trees produce oxygen and soak up carbon dioxide and pollution. Trees mitigate temperature extremes and erosion. They provide aesthetic values to our city and physical and mental wellness to its citizens. With so many cited benefits, why is it so easy to remove one or an acre of them, from a city that was built on trees and is one of the most polluted in the nation?
We have a failed system when a majority of our parks department's work removes more trees than it plants each year. We have a failed society when we value cars and roofs, more than our physical and mental health and another living thing. We have a failed community when the values and voices of residents are not equal.
With impending impacts and costs of climate change before us, this city needs to focus on ensuring that we have an environment that will be resilient and capable of sustaining us. We need to re-establish an environmental department that educates our community, provides leadership, and protects and celebrates our green inheritance. Perhaps a tree removal permit to slow the logging and pay for new plantings is needed? Who knows, it just may prevent some of our trees from ending up as solid waste.
Jovanka Djordjevich
Prince George
