Should “Green” Commissioner Tom Digby Resign?
Posted by the members of the Stanley Park Preservation Society
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Green Party Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Tom Digby is doubling down on the logging of Stanley Park. Here is a video that documents his steadfast refusal to listen to scientists. In fact, on Monday, November 4, 2024, at the Park Board public meeting, Digby was heard saying that “Science doesn’t save people.” I certainly hope he never needs a surgeon!
We believe that all Green Party representatives should be science-based and climate-action oriented. That is why there we created a new petition calling for Tom Digby’s resignation and it already has over 200 signatures! We need a new commissioner who is willing to listen to the scientists who say quite clearly, with peer-reviewed evidence, that the forest thinning going on in Stanley Park is increasing both fire and windfall danger.
Now we might be ok with the tree cutting if it were limited to trees that were hazardous. But there is no reason to believe that more than 20,000 trees (one of the City’s ever-changing estimates) are dangerous. However, I recently emailed Tina Fernandes, Project Manager for Urban Forestry. I had been told by Jeff from Blackwell and Associates that she had the TRAQ assessment data (the data that identifies trees that pose danger). She sent me to StanleyParkForest@vancouver.ca, who replied that they don’t have the TRAQ data and they would contact Blackwell. I replied that I would like to find the person who does have the TRAQ data. It took a few reminders, but finally I received this email:
"Good morning and thank you for your email.
The original email was responded to on October 21, 2024. Any further requests for data should be directed to the https://vancouver.ca/your-government/freedom-of-information.aspx."
Is this what it has come to in this city? Filing a freedom of information request (and being charged money) to acquire the tree assessment data from the people solely responsible for the Stanley Park forest?
All we are asking is that only trees which have been individually assessed and found to pose imminent danger are topped or chopped. Why is it taking petitions, lawsuits, emails and freedom of information requests to get this data? Does the data exist or is a private company being given $11.1 million of our tax dollars and free license to chop willy-nilly in the park? Above you can see pictures of damaged roots from the industrial logging equipment that has no place in a sensitive ecosystem like Stanley Park. These damaged roots are now making the living trees’ root systems less stable. There are also disturbing “B.A. Blackwell” tags that have been screwed into old-growth cedar trees. What do these tags mean?
We hope that you are still steadfast in your commitment to saving Stanley Park. Our legal battle is raging on and it is expensive, so if you haven’t got around to it yet, please consider donating to our legal fund. Click here to get to our donation page. Alternatively, you can e-transfer a donation to donate@savestanleypark.ca or mail a cheque made out to Stanley Park Preservation Society to SPPS, 400 - 333 Terminal Ave., Vancouver, BC V6A 4C1.
If the link to the donation page doesn't work, copy and paste this link in your browser: https://chuffed.org/project/savestanleypark
Let’s save some trees!!!!
If the embedded links do not work for you, here are the URLs for you to copy and paste:
Tom Digby petition:
Tom Digby vs The Scientists video: https://vimeo.com/1025976069?share=copy#t=0