The City of Port Coquitlam will be removing six dead trees on Mary Hill Road at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre (PCCC) as the trees are deemed a high risk to people and property.
Five Oaks and one London Plane Tree will be removed soon and replaced this month. City staff have put up protective barriers and have removed parking along Mary Hill Road to protect the public and surrounding area. The arborist report indicated that those trees likely succumbed to the PCCC construction that may have caused related stress and root zone loading.
The City regularly monitors the health of trees on public property and tracks hazard trees that require removal. Whenever possible, the City looks to maintain trees rather than remove them. In cases of declining or dead trees, removal is necessary for public safety. Structural defects, weak branches, and other issues can cause a tree to come down.
Tree removals were deferred to avoid the bird-nesting season. Minimal impacts to the surrounding areas are expected during this work. The City will repurpose the wood to be used throughout PCCC.
Next Steps
Upon completion of the tree removals, the City will implement replanting and restoration plans for that location. The City will replant six-metre-tall specimen trees. The organized and planned approach to removing and replacing these living and growing assets will ensure the long-term sustainability for that location.
Protecting the Urban Forest
The City manages over 5000 trees in parks and boulevards throughout the community and countless trees in forested areas. Nearly 45 per cent of the City's tree canopy is on City-owned land.
The City is committed to protecting and expanding the community's urban forest and currently working to develop an Urban Forest Plan to protect and grow the urban forest over the next 30 years.
The City is working with the federal government to be part of the 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program that aims to motivate and support new tree-planting projects. The 2BT program will generate many long-term benefits such as contributing to the restoration of habitat; increasing biodiversity; cleaning air and water; creating green jobs; reducing community risks from natural disasters; cooling cities; and enhancing the well-being of Canadians for generations to come. More information will be provided once the grant has been approved.
For questions, please contact Public Works at [email protected] or call 604.927.5496.
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Media Contact
Ximena Ibacache
Manager of Communications & Administrative Services
City of Port Coquitlam
Tel 604.927.5499
Email [email protected]