Anger over loss of trees

By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 13, 2006


Residents of the Whattlekainum housing co-op on Burnaby Mountain are up in arms after crews from the nearby Kinder Morgan tank farm began clear cutting trees over a section of pipeline right-of-way, across the street from their homes.

Mary Ayles was one of three residents who called the Burnaby NOW on Monday afternoon to complain about what she believes is the unnecessary cutting of a stand of 50-year-old alder, maple and other trees in the 8700 block of Forest Grove Drive.

"What we're seeing is the face of our neighbourhood changing," Ayles said. "Forest Grove is a grove of trees that stand tall and proud. Then, all of a sudden, tree toppers showed up with backhoes and all kinds of things, and they're bringing the trees down.

"I don't recognize the street anymore," she said.

Philippe Reicher, director of external relations for Kinder Morgan Canada, said the tree-cutting is part of a necessary "vegetation management program" to ensure the integrity of the pipeline.

"What we intend to do is make sure we have access to the right-of-way," Reicher said Tuesday morning.

Reicher said city hall was informed about the work, which began last year on other areas around the Burnaby Mountain tank farm. He said the work has a dual purpose - to allow easier inspection of the pipeline, "particularly in case of an emergency," and to ensure that the tree roots do not damage the pipeline.

"It's understandable that some people could potentially be upset by this. ... But, in many ways, those trees should never have been allowed to grow there," he said. "That right-of-way has been there for 50 years."

Reicher said he does not know the full scope of the work or the total number of trees that may eventually be chopped down, but he does not expect many more trees to be felled. "What you're seeing now is probably the whole extent of the work," he said.

Ayles also said that she was upset by her inability to obtain any information about the tree cutting when she called Burnaby city hall on Monday afternoon.

"We've been given little to no information. There was no town hall meeting called and I was concerned that nobody at city hall seemed concerned," she said. "The people I called said there's nothing they can do.

"I'm definitely not happy and shocked by what I see."

Karen Nimegeers, another resident of the housing coop, said the tree cutting was first noticed several months ago along a walking trails through the forest, and it has now come down onto their street.

"I don't know where it's going to end, and I'm upset by the loss of these obviously healthy trees," she said. "It's heartbreaking to see the trees go."

Nimegeers and Ayles both agreed that part of their concerns comes from the fact that the tank farm was sold to a company with an American parent.

"Suddenly it's Kinder Morgan and down come the trees," said Nimegeers.

"Certainly, when Trans Mountain was here, there seemed to be a lot more information," added Ayles.