Trees help reduce energy costs, increase livability and property values, have proven to be good for our health, sequester carbon, keep our air clean, reduce flooding, produce food and habitat for wildlife and make our streets safer. Port Coquitlam’s canopy coverage was recently estimated to be 23.8% As a City Councillor, what percentage canopy coverage would you support and what actions would you take to protect and increase our tree canopy in order to achieve this goal? (PoCo Heritage Trees)
I understand the value of our trees, however, I wouldn’t know what the actual percentage would be to maintain in order to be the best for the environment. As a councillor, I would encourage a better education towards environmental benefits of various aspects of nature rather than a blanket tree canopy %. Also developers must include a landscape plan and walkability in their designs.
A few items to consider:
- Which trees are better for the environment and provide more oxygen? Which do you encourage prefer?
- Lawns, and floral/vegetable gardens also provide many of the same benefits.
- Large trees restrict lawns from growing, limit residents from having a garden due to shade, therefore is ‘protecting’ trees really the best and only direction to consider?
Our environmental impact from new construction projects must be looked at on a much broader scope. The amount of new development approved over the last couple of decades did not incorporate any sense of environmental protection or consideration.
Example:
Fremont Village
Along Broadway:
I would like to see future construction incorporate better designs and include landscaping.
Quick picture ideas as below.
Feel free to contact me with further questions or ideas.
Kind regards,
Carolyn
https://www.facebook.com/CarolynStewartforPocoCouncil/
