Cutting McAdam Park trees shameful
Three more maples trees have been cut despite the city’s tree bylaw. Shameful.
Our community lost trust in municipal arborists’ judgement about ill trees when the historic maple outside the then-named Island Savings Centre was fallen in 2016, despite public outcry. Duncan’s works boss Len Thew says those three maples in McAdam Park were determined ill and dangerous by the city’s parks forewoman. Thew said she is also an arborist. What is her name and at what institute did she earn her arborist education? Apparently an independent arborist determined the same conclusion about those three publicly owned maples. Who is that person and what what are that person’s credentials?
In short, concerns about tree safety must be taken ecologically seriously, and be discussed publicly to protect our precious trees — historic or otherwise — local citizens, and the integrity of council’s tree-removal decisions. Why not use signage to advertise trees to be potentially cut? Given council’s current decision methods, recommended by staff, why not simply cut every tree in Duncan to rid ourselves of any more tree worries?
Peter W. Rusland
North Cowichan