Community Trees Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Creatively United Community

Council votes Feb. 21st on funding the Urban Forest Master Plan. Money is available, but council could maintain its record of underfunding. If you haven’t already, please tell them how important trees are to all of us. Write city council TODAY and tell them to... Read more

Trees Can Do That? International Speaker, Author, & Urban Forest Expert Cecil Konijnendijk, Phd

UBC Urban Forestry professor and international urban forest governance expert, Cecil Konijnendijk, will share his passion about urban trees, urban nature and urban greening programs on Wednesday, April 17th from 7:15 – 9 pm at the Cook Street Activity Center, 380 Cook Street.

Finnerty Road Garry Oaks

Maleea Acker, a UVic professor, a journalist and author of Gardens Aflame, about Garry Oak Meadows, has written this letter to Adriane Pollard, Director, Environmental Services, Saanich, with copies to Mayor and Council, plus to the Times-Colonist and the Editor of... Read more

TREES and the UFMP

I grew up on the west coast, then spent 30 years on the prairie. It was the TREES that brought me back, two years ago. I was shocked at how my old neighbourhoods in Vancouver have lost their green spaces and become crowded with houses, cars, and concrete — the literal... Read more

National Geographic Video: Forest Garden With 500 Edible Plants Could Lead to a Sustainable Future

This is brilliant! It clearly shows how nature has set us up to thrive pre colonization…when people were free to live in harmony with the land. If we truly want to address climate change and food security, let this serve as a simple example of what is possible... Read more

Historical Garry Oak Ecosystems of Greater Victoria and Saanich Peninsula

This map, shared by landscape architect and planner Moira Wilson, offers helpful information and a challenge to regenerate and expand what remnants remain of this precious ecosystem in our region under pressures of population growth. Read more

Last Minute Plant Rescuers Needed!

HAT was granted an opportunity to salvage native plants on a large swath of land in Langford prior to development. Paige, HAT’s Stewardship Coordinator is requesting backup from any Plant Rescuers, any and all individuals who can dig with a shovel. It will be cold,... Read more

The Importance of Trees in an Urban Setting

Community Trees, Food & Health

Last year there was quite a bit of talk about the heat in Montreal and the fact that so many people were dying during one of their heat waves. That was directly attributed to the lack of trees and their ability to significantly lower temperature. Read more

Physicians Raise Concerns

I recently came across this letter in the Times-Colonist from Dr. Janet Ray from 2009. I believe it fits well with the new Biodiversity conversation. Dr. Rays determination that “what is becoming clear is that determinants of health also includes the health of... Read more

1201 Fort Street Forest in the Heart of the City

At 1201 Fort Street, once known as the Truth Centre, a development of luxury condos and townhouses with underground parking will “remove” 29 trees. Ten of these trees are Bylaw Protected. Here are a few photos of this diverse, mature and lovely forest. One... Read more

This tree has a lot of friends!

Thanks also to everyone who used or shared our template letter to the city, and to those who wrote their own letters.
Although some feel this is just one tree, we feel it is worth saving if possible. And if we can’t, we hope this outcry will encourage the City to think more carefully about plans to remove more public trees in the future…

Honouring the Trees

On Sunday, Jan. 20th, a group of neighbours and citizens gathered in front of the gate at 1201 Fort Street. They offered their thanks and goodbyes to the 29 beautiful trees expected to soon be removed. The developer has sent notices of blasting work to begin in early... Read more

Solutions to the EDPA

Insuring gaps in protection and proactive conservation seen in the light of a climate change emergency is logical, insulates from us the impacts of climate change and saves money.

Please tell them trees are important!

We have precious opportunities right now, to let our community know what is most important to us.
They are firming up budgets. They want to know where they should spend our money. Let’s tell them!

Beautiful Tree in Downtown Victoria Slated For Removal

This beautiful and established tree at the corner of Humboldt and Government Street by the Visitor Information Centre adds beauty, character, charm and works 24/7 for no pay cleaning the air, absorbing excess water and providing habitat for birds, yet, like the stump... Read more

FOCUS Magazine Article: Victoria’s diminishing urban forest

A big shout out to Leslie Campbell for her excellent article in this month’s Focus Magazine on Victoria’s urban forests and the rise of the Community Trees Matter Network. We are so fortunate to have a publication like Focus Magazine telling it like it is.... Read more

Mature Douglas Firs and Oaks Threatened by Saanich Development

I live on the fringe of the Urban Containment Boundry bordering rural SAANICH. My neighbours and I are currently fighting a subdivision on A 1 zoned land This land has mature Douglas firs and Garry Oaks. The land in question is at 3989 Holland Ave. SAANICH planning... Read more

Planting Our Future – A Tree Toolkit for Communities

Although this document was created in 2008, the information remains relevant and provides useful planning tools and strategies that can be used to help communities to enhance the value of their urban forest. The benefits of trees are clearly listed, issues and... Read more

The Value of City Trees

Some cities really understand the value of trees. Melbourne is planning on doubling its canopy by 2050. Athens wants to plant more trees to help it deal with urban heat islands, and flash floods. Seoul recently planted more than 2000 groves and gardens.

Presentation to Esquimalt Council

Thank you mayor and council for your service to our community and the opportunity to address you. I’m here on behalf of the Community Trees Matter Network and the Creatively United for the Planet Society. We’d like to thank the Township and staff for being proactive... Read more

Letter to share re: Finnerty Road Trees

Your support is requested to save trees slated for removal on Finnerty Road. These tree are in the median (which would be removed as part of the project) and adjacent to the southbound lane (opposite side of the road from the UVic Child Care Centre, under the Hydro... Read more

26 Garry Oaks Form Vital Green Space

Currently, the board of the South Jubilee Neighborhood Association is in the process of preserving one of the last remaining urban Garry Oak ecosystems in our area. The area in question is located on the corner or Bank Street and Leighton street, across the road from... Read more

Victories To Celebrate!

Thank you to all the people and groups taking a stand for our community trees. The Community Trees Matter Network came together out of a desire to bring more voices together in support for our urban trees and forests and to find out what resources and information we... Read more

Increasing Benefits of Trees

According to i-Tree, this Western Red Cedar recently cut down at 600 Foul Bay Road in Victoria, measured five feet in diameter, would have provided the following benefits this year (and each year this tree survived the benefits would have increased):

A Plan to Keep Trees Standing and Speaking for the Sequoia

Council already understands the many reasons to increase the urban forest in Victoria. City staff are already protecting public trees as well as they can with the budget they have. My focus is on protecting trees on private land. So far, my family and friends in... Read more

Promising Start to 2019

I am happy to report we had positive results in Saanich Chambers this past week. Council accepted the new management plan for Haro Woods that supports the natural designation it was given in 2013. Yesterday I was looking through websites and came upon the... Read more

Tree Huggers Spotted in Oak Bay

Vijaya Taylor hugs a mature Garry Oak tree in Oak Bay. She is a member of Community Trees Matter Network, which advocates for retaining mature trees, as well as increasing municipal canopies to 30 to 40 per cent. (Photo: John Taylor) Read more

Recommendations To Make Trees Matter

Article, Community Trees, Video

Members of the Community Trees Matter Network and the Creatively United for the Planet Society have enthusiastically encouraged the City of Victoria to strengthen its tree preservation bylaws and adopt the strategic plan and budget that will see the Urban Forest... Read more

Hardest Working Community Members

At the last council meeting I brought my shovel. Tonight I have my bell, to sound the alarm. We are in a climate crisis! And yet engineers and planners working for the city continue to destroy and remove trees to make sidewalks, sewer pipe lines, roads and other infrastructure. Why is so little value put on trees, our hardest working community members?

Remembering City of Victoria Election Promises

With mayors and councils making important budget decisions now, these questions are more relevant now than ever. For example, Lisa Helps sent out a campaign news release saying we could celebrate Tree Appreciation Day by planting trees in neighbourhoods all over the city, up to 1000. However, only four were planted this year, about a quarter of the number that was planted last year.

Gonzales and the Urban Forest Master Plan

We need to remind mayor and council, that in the March 15, 2018 Council Motion, Council agreed that the new Gonzales Neighbourhood Plan needed to strengthen the language with regard to green space and tree preservation, anticipating forthcoming updates to the Tree Preservation Bylaw and implementation of the Urban Forest Master Plan.

Health Benefits of Trees

Article, Community Trees, Food & Health, Toolkit

Can you imagine a world where a walk in the forest is prescribed by medical doctors to reduce stress? Japan began studying the benefits of ‘forest bathing’ in the early 1980s. Their scientific research has shown that 20 minutes in the forest reduces blood pressure, lowers heart rate and increases the number of cancer-fighting cells in the body by as much as 40%.

Save Trees From Removal on Finnerty Road

There has been a development sign posted on Finnerty Road (between the roundabout at McKenzie and Arbutus Rd.). There are plans to put in bike lanes and upgrades. This sign has been up for quite some time (at least since the summer) and I have not paid much attention... Read more

Master Forester Ray Travers Honoured by Distrist of Saanich

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Community Trees

What a delight to see master forester Ray Travers honoured by the District of Saanich for his work on bringing attention to Shelbourne Street’s heritage trees planted in honour of 600 local Victorians killed during the First World War. Members of Creatively... Read more

A Simple Yet Profound Story & Message

The importance of education around trees and their beneficial impact and interconnectivity with the environment became obvious decades ago while driving past productive green farmer’s fields in North America, and recalling having lived through drought in Zimbabwe in... Read more

Habitat and Housing in Harmony

I recently stood before the Victoria City council and mayor to urge them to implement the Recommended Actions of the URBAN FOREST MASTER PLAN of 2013 and that leaders of the local Indigenous Nations of Esquimalt and Songhees be invited to participate in this work. Affordable HOUSING a green and livable HABITAT must be part of Victoria’s Strategic Plan.

The Human Benefit of Trees

Kudos to Michael Meagher for this Letter to the Editor in the Nov. 22nd Times Colonist. “Anyone for a tax reduction on properties that contain trees?”

Let’s Make It A Great Day Again

Article, Arts, Community, & Inclusivity, Community Trees, Nature & Conservation

It was a great day when the council and mayor the City of Victoria approved the Urban Forest Master Plan in 2013. It is comprehensive, sustainable, and inspiring. The trouble is – it hasn’t been implemented. This plan recognizes the disconnect between what has... Read more

An Antidote to Despair

We are in a climate crisis. Daily we witness or hear about climate disasters all over the world. A recent windstorm in Italy wiped out over a million trees that were 200 years old. Currently in California drought conditions have caused horrific wildfires resulting in a loss of lives, of homes, of trees, plants and wildlife.

Suggestions For Tree Health and Preservation

Trees perform important eco-services, such as creating oxygen, cooling the air during our increasingly long, hot summers, reducing storm water, and most importantly, they store carbon. Big trees store a lot more carbon than saplings do. Big trees do more of everything on that list than saplings do.

Development With Vision

Victoria’s lush natural environment is what the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral is to Paris, a crowning jewel. No one would suggest taking the Notre Dame apart stone by stone to the ground and selling it off, however, that is exactly what we are doing to our... Read more

Healthy Saplings Lead to Healthy Ecosystems

The first three years, especially the first, are the most critical to tree saplings as they don’t have a developed root system to gather water, ward off pests, avoid being trampled or damaged. We lose the benefits mature trees provide when we replace them with... Read more

Losing trees in Victoria: one mature tree equals 269 saplings

We should all be concerned about global warming. We can see the changes happening now; our summers are longer and a lot drier. But I wonder if the City cares. Because I don’t see much evidence they’re trying to save our mature trees, one of the few factors that reduce... Read more

Why Trees Matter, A Lot!

Mankind has embarked on a huge, uncontrolled experiment – we have destroyed about 80 per cent of the world’s forests. More are destroyed every minute. How long can we last without them? Instead of waiting to find out, many people are planting thousands, even millions of trees.

Community Trees: Questions for Candidates

Thank you to the candidates who responded to our tree preservation questionnaire and put themselves forward to run in the 2018 municipal elections. Congratulations to all! Updated October 19th with new responses Dr. Jennie Moore of BCIT recently estimated the... Read more

Informative Tree Links