A fine for illegally chopping down a tree in Richmond could increase to $50,000 from a current maximum fine of $10,000.
The province has changed the Community Charter to allow this five-fold increase and it will be up to Richmond city council to decide whether to increase fines in the city.
If passed, this is good news for the Garden City Conservation Society, according to its president, Sharon MacGougan.
Trees are a key part of biodiversity in Richmond, and elsewhere, and the loss of a mature tree can have long-term implications for birds, she said.
“Bushes and plants grow pretty quickly, but a tree takes decades before a bird is probably going to build a nest in one,” she added.
But the other half of the equation is enforcement and education, she said.
While MacGougan thinks city staff do an “excellent job” following up on complaints and take quick action on illegal tree cutting, they don’t have the time to monitor every street in the city.
“They could probably use more resources or more staff,” she said.
Education about conservation is also needed so Richmond residents know not to prune excessively or cut down mature trees, MacGougan said.
Is someone sees their neighbour cutting or topping a tree, they might follow suit, MacGougan said.
“We are really supportive of any actions that can be taken to protect biodiversity – of which mature trees are a part of – but (there’s) also a conservation education aspect, too,” she said.
To impose a fine for illegally cutting down or damaging a tree in Richmond, the city has to go through the provincial court system.
A permit is required to cut down a tree in Richmond if its base is 20 centimetres in diameter or wider or if it’s in an environmentally sensitive area (ESA).
The tree bylaw also prohibits damaging trees, for example, by topping them.
However, there are some exemptions, for example, trees on farmland and golf courses.
The changes to the tree bylaw will be at next week’s (Nov. 17) planning committee meeting.
