Someone is saving ‘valuable’ trees at UBC

Someone is saving ‘valuable’ trees at UBC.  According to UBC’s community planning page:

Valuable trees were recently rescued during a demolition project on UBC’s Vancouver campus. Two buildings—Earth and Ocean Sciences East Building and the Engineering Annex Building—were knocked down in preparation for the construction of the Earth Systems Science Building (ESSB) at 2219 Main Mall. When Dean Gregory, landscape architect at Campus and Community Planning, realized that a group of Japanese Maple trees and various shrubs were at risk during the demolition, he brokered a deal that would see the plants ultimately replanted at South Campus. (read on)

This is, clearly, an important thing to be doing.  It might, however, obscure all of the ‘non-valuable’ trees that have been and continue to be removed (what’s happening to the trees at Fairview and Westebrook in East Campus, for example).  There’s a long list of trees that have been cleared without ceremony across campus.

Once, during a planning workshop, I suggested that there be a biomass replacement policy.  That is, for each cubic meter of wood fibre removed from campus an equivalent volume be replanted somewhere.  The president of UBC Properties Trust was present.  At first he seemed to be in agreement.  Then, as the implication dawned he quickly revised and said that UBC has a tree replacement policy.  That is, for each tree removed, another tree is planted in it’s place.  Not quite the same thing, but at least it’s a nice idea . . .