Where are we heading? Imagine our world without trees!

Please sign this petition and support our community of tree-caring people from across the North Shore and the First Nations in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

WE NEED STRONG TREE PROTECTION BYLAWS in place immediately! 

They say, 99% of old growth trees have been cut down, and tree protectors have been arrested in our province. This situation is ongoing.

Recently, North Vancouver citizens, from children to elders, protected a 205-year-old giant Red Cedar tree together. After 50 days of guarding the tree consistently from dawn to dusk, with the support of 2 petitions which gathered over 28,000 signatures, this old growth tree was finally saved.

What came to light was the severe lack of laws that provide real protection for trees in the City of North Vancouver. Often, trees can be cut before the development proposal or tree survey is even finalized, without the consent of the community.

We have been telling our local government; "Replacing small trees with saplings doesn’t work!" Trees don’t fully provide their life-supporting services until they are at least 20 cm in diameter.  

We need to aim for sustainable development. So many trees have already been lost. Fungi, insects, birds and animals also disappear with trees! Recent extreme weather and record-breaking temperatures reinforce the need, to create STRONG TREE PROTECTION BYLAWS.

The North Shore is an irreplaceable gem. Trees are gifts from our ancestors and a precious inheritance for our children and future generations.

NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT!  Thank you for your support!!!

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Here is our message to the North Shore municipal and district councils:

·    Trees protect all living systems, and therefore we must protect the trees! We are in a Climate Emergency and mature trees are a vital carbon sink.

·    Our North Shore governments need to protect our urban forests by creating  meaningful well-crafted tree protection bylaws for trees on public and private lands and provide adequate funds for tree care/protection.

·    The public needs to be engaged and educated with the aim of creating a better understanding of the vital “services” provided by trees in our communities.

·    Trees must be recognized as important and valued infrastructure. Every effort should be made to preserve existing trees.

·    No trees should be cut until all plans have been approved. As well, sustainable architecture and engineering must be employed in the design of building or development.

·    There should be appropriately large fines for illegal tree cutting.

·    Communities suffer when trees of the urban forest are not adequately protected and we need to celebrate and appreciate this valuable resource.