IMPORTANT REQUEST!!! PLEASE READ, WRITE and SHARE: To Everyone who would like to stop the illegal cutting down of trees in Vancouver: On June 15, 2015 neighbours and I witnessed the illegal cutting down of trees at 3854 West 38th Avenue. Two fallers were cutting down three large fir trees. The lot had been cleared of six trees previously as had been permitted by City Hall. Barbara Yaffe wrote an article featuring these trees published on January 15 in the Vancouver Sun. Barbara Yaffe: Depletion of Vancouver’s tree-cover a ‘nightmare’. http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Barbara+Yaffe+Depletion+Vancouver+tree+cover+nightmare/10437697/story.html These trees had been in the footprint of the site of a new house approved by City Hall. Three trees at the back of the property, #3, 4 and 5 were to stay on the property and had been surrounded by orange fencing. They were named on the permit and were not to be removed from the property. The fallers and developer knowingly were cutting down trees without a permit. The developer had a site plan which clearly showed #3, 4 and 5 were to stay. He refused to order the fallers to stop work and the fallers refused to stop despite knowing they were involved in illegal activity. Work was stopped when the police arrived followed by Chad Neufeld from City Hall who had granted the permits. The CBC ran a news article on June 16- http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/trees-cut-down-illegally-in-vancouver-s-dunbar-neighbourhood-again-1.3114984. The Vancouver Sun wrote an article as well. http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/More+trees+illegally+chopped+down+Vancouver+Dunbar+neighbourhood/11141319/story.html Our city is being denuded of trees illegally. The increase in the value of the property for developers far outweighs the financial penalties of tree removal. Until the City increases penalties and fines this behaviour will continue. What can we as citizens of the City of Vancouver and taxpayers do to save our trees from determined destruction? The tree bylaw was last amended in April 2014 but the maximum fine has not been increased for years. The current fines are insignificant and not a deterrent. An increase in fines would be a good start- perhaps 10%!o(MISSING)f the property value as it has been suggested by Andrew Hasman that can be the increase in value of the property without trees. Apart from an increase in fines there have to be other penalties in place. Perhaps the occupancy permit should be withheld from the builder/homeowner until appropriate trees of similar size are planted. And perhaps the developer and tree falling company should lose their business licence. In order to effect change to the bylaws there has to be support from our City Councillors. I encourage everyone who support change to write a letter and/or email our City Councillors and copy as many of your friends and acquaintances whom you think will support your position. Feel free to send along a copy of this letter as well to friends and acquaintances. Below are the email addresses of our Mayor and City Councillors. gregor.robertson@vancouver.ca clraffleck@vancouver.ca clrball@vancouver.ca clrcarr@vancouver.ca clrdegenova@vancouver.ca clrdeal@vancouver.ca clrjang@vancouver.ca clrlouie@vancouver.ca clrmeggs@vancouver.ca clrreimer@vancouver.ca clrstevenson@vancouver.ca This article is being sent under the email address savevancouverstrees@gmail.com. Please feel free to copy any emails to this account. Thank you, Concerned Neighbour

Barbara Yaffe: Depletion of Vancouver’s tree-cover a ‘nightmare’

In an ‘arboristic homicide,’ we have lost 50,000 trees since 1996 — with 96 per cent of the loss being trees on private property.

from http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Barbara+Yaffe+Depletion+Vancouver+tree+cover+nightmare/10437697/story.html