Everyone loves a good tree. The aesthetic beauty, environmental, and renewable resource values are virtually indisputable. Most property owners are likely ignorant of proper pruning techniques, and as a 30-year veteran of the forest products world, topping a tree would certainly not be recommended. My guess is that most folks when pruning are not intentionally trying to damage a tree, they just don’t know how to properly do it.
In our pursuit of environmental responsibility, we create well-intentioned positions like “city arborist” to be guardians of our trees. However, we also get Charles Ray, who is an overzealous “urban forester” with the city of Vancouver who has far too much authority to financially penalize the public for acts of ignorance when common sense would prevail. The tree canopy was blocking customers from seeing Sunrise Bagels. Pro-activity by Ray to help the owner to find a more suitable shorter-growing tree could have prevented this entire incident.
The public also needs to be aware that trimming or cutting any tree on your property technically requires a permit. While I understand the city’s oversight of trees that property owners “donate” to the sidewalk easements, what we do with our trees on private property should be ours to decide and not an overreach of city ordinance and oversight.
Mike Herrema
Vancouver
