Gibsonians love their trees – but how are local arbours faring overall?
The Town of Gibsons is creating its first Urban Forest Plan (UFP) to provide the town with a more updated view of its treescape, a Jan. 9 press release announced.
The plan will evaluate current conditions in Gibsons’ tree canopy and provide data to help make informed decisions.
Gibsons arborism made headlines recently when the iconic black walnut tree behind Molly’s Reach was felled.
Urban trees face a myriad of challenges, such as pollution, soil compaction and drought, and are more susceptible to insects and disease due to limited space for root growth.
The news release states four main objectives for the UFP:
- Gather baseline information on the current state of the town’s urban forest.
- Develop a long-term vision informed by public engagement.
- Provide goals, recommendations, and targets for reforestation and conservation.
- Create an implementation plan based on the recommended actions.
“As part of our strategic plan, this council wants to ensure that we balance growth with our need to protect trees and green space,” said Mayor Silas White in the release. “Formalizing a plan that reflects our community’s values will help to ensure our long-term vision and provide guidance to staff and council with decisions concerning development and planning.”
The Town of Gibsons will consult with stakeholders and community members during the spring and aims to finalize the UFP in the summer.
Michelle Lewis, Natural Asset Technician said that the UFP has been a long time coming, with over three years of lead-up work involved.
Lewis said she is excited to see the project develop, explaining that when Gibsons adopted the Tree Bylaw in 2020, planning protective measures for the trees was difficult without knowing the full story of the surrounding forest.
The first phase of the UFP was a background review of the urban forest, which included LIDAR imaging being taken from the sky, which provided details about the current canopy cover.
Lewis echoed the importance of community engagement in this project, including demographics that may not typically engage such as youth and seniors.
“We're trying to make sure that the engagement is giving us a good cross-section of the entire community and to get their opinions and their visions and their values,” she said.
An online survey will be available for the public to share their opinions on the UFP, and to help develop the strategic direction of the plan. The survey will be open from Jan. 26 to Feb. 16.
A virtual open house will be held on Jan. 30 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. where the project team will introduce the UFP and will answer questions from the public.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
