A huge THANK YOU!! to all 687 local signers of our petition “Don’t let Cordova Bay lose Mother Maple!”  Because of YOUR support, Mother Maple’s future is now looking a whole lot brighter (as in, not firewood!) than it did on July 7, 2025, when we started our petition in total shock that she could be cut down as early as July 15, 2025, a short ten working days after a tree notice of removal was unceremoniously hammered into her trunk by Saanich Parks.  

Olivier Lauren from the Saanich News wrote a very supportive story about Mother Maple last week, featuring two of her neighbours who would have been the most impacted by her loss.  That story, together with your clicks and the political support of both Elizabeth May and Lana Popham, was seemingly what it took to motivate Saanich to explore alternatives to her removal.  

If Saanich does indeed commit to save her, which we hope to have confirmation of very soon, Bartlett Tree Experts has offered to take over her care through its “Community Contribution to Significant Trees” program, at no cost to Saanich.  As part of the company’s community outreach, Bartlett’s will adopt Mother Maple and invigorate her root system with fertilization, deep root aeration, watering, and mulching, and will do the necessary pruning to keep her healthy for many decades to come.  

We will send out another update when we receive official confirmation that Mother Maple will indeed be worked around, not taken down.  Our concern now is for all the other incredible trees in Saanich that are potentially at risk from development pressure but that lack, through no fault of their own, the fan club that Mother Maple has to work on their behalf to save them.  

Since several of you have asked if there was anything further you could do to help save her, or other trees like her, we are recommending our petition signers consider joining the Community Trees Matter Network at https://creativelyunited.org/community-trees-matter-network/ or email Grace at treesmatternetwork@gmail.com to receive their occasional newsletter and stay involved in community tree protection.  

On behalf of Mother Maple, thank you again for signing our petition to save north Wesley Road's iconic, beautiful boulevard tree!   :)

iacobus@shaw.ca