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Langford plants seed for greener future with new urban forest plan

The city lost 25 per cent of its tree canopy in the last 20 years due to 28,000 new residents and development
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Langford has approved a new Urban Forest Management Plan and a new Tree Protection Bylaw.

The future is looking green for Langford.

At a council meeting on Nov. 18, councillors gave a green thumbs-up to its Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP), which will help maintain and improve tree canopy coverage across the city.

According to a council report, over the last 20 years, as it welcomed 28,000 new residents and saw new development across the city, Langford lost a quarter of its tree canopy coverage.

And with an estimated 50,000 new residents expected by 2050, the city hopes the new plan will help strike a balance between urban growth and enhancing Langford’s urban forest. 

The UFMP will mitigate this canopy loss over “the status quo,” said Coun. Colby Harder at the meeting, who described the plan as a “generational document” for the city.

“I’m incredibly grateful that we are disrupting the status quo,” she said. “Because 25 years from now I hope to still be here, and I hope that residents will be able to reap the immeasurable benefits that trees provide for our community.

“[I] look forward to see this plan through its full term … to see the growth that we are planting seeds for today.”

According to a city news release, the UFMP establishes a strategic framework to meet the vision, target and goals for Langford’s urban forest over the next 25 years.

Seven “quick start actions” have been identified as part of the UFMP, with two advanced quickly at the same meeting on Nov. 18.

Alongside the creation of a new arborist position, the city’s new Tree Protection Bylaw received its first three readings.

Under the new bylaw, all trees with a diameter breast height (dbh) of more than 20 cm are protected. 

However, there was some disappointment expressed by Coun. Kimberley Guiry that the bylaw does not offer specific protections to native trees, such as Douglas fir, Garry oak, and arbutus.

Some residents also expressed similar “major concerns” the new bylaw does not go far enough.

“I think there should be specific protections for trees such as Garry oak, arbutus, Pacific dogwood and Pacific yew,” said one local woman. “That’s pretty standard in all other municipalities in the region, that we’re seeing specific protection for those native trees that grow a lot slower – it takes a lot longer to reach 20-cm dbh.”

There are some exemptions from the tree bylaw, including if tree removal is associated with development activities, which would instead be considered as part of the relevant permit process.

The city does not presently plan on charging a fee for tree permits.



Ben Fenlon

About the Author: Ben Fenlon

Multimedia journalist with the Greater Victoria news team.
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