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The number of trees in the region suitable for an eagle, heron or hawk to nest or perch in is shrinking every year. Forestry and land development that accompanies urbanization are but two of the reasons. A dedicated core of environmentalists and volunteers is working hard to spread the word that trees, particularly ones housing large raptors, are worth saving. So far, more than 700 wildlife trees are documented in the Strait of Georgia with another 250 being monitored each year. Parksville’s Patrick Walshe is employed by the Wildlife Tree Stewardship program run under the auspice of the Federation of BC Naturalists. His job is to invite landowners to learn the locations of nesting trees on their land and how to be good stewards of forested nesting areas with large old trees. “I call or send letters and talk about how to get along with the eagles,” he says. “The tree and nest once identified does have some protections under Section 34 of the Wildlife Act but the buffer zone is not.” Walshe notes that it’s important, not only to leave the trees alone, but to minimize any noise and disturbance during the crucial active nesting period from February through June. Otherwise, he says, the bird may abandon the nest. There are administrative solutions should a landowner wish to ensure a buffered protection area for a tree housing an eagle, heron or one of the other select few avian specimens favoured by year round, protective, provincial legislation. “Development permit areas, land covenants or bylaws can be used,” says Walshe. “I’ve been talking to municipalities all up and down the coast as well as a lot of developers. We can provide privileged access to an online database so planners can have access as long as they promise it’s for conservation reasons. ” The mapping system is available to the public, however, for local governments that sign a data sharing agreement, a password is given allowing planners to zoom in on a much finer scale to see which lots the trees are on. On Vancouver Island, trees are monitored mainly for bald eagles. Many of the trees were initially identified during helicopter surveys done by the Ministry of Environment. Stewards involved in the wildlife tree program would like to see protections enhanced and expanded. “Often seen are properties with a single nest tree remaining because the nest is protected. If there is no other legislation pertaining to the buffer area surrounding the tree (and there often isn’t) then clearing can occur right up to the base of the tree,” says Kerri Lynne Wilson a WiTS program co-ordinator. “Subsequent development can then damage the health of the tree she adds, resulting in the landowners becoming concerned about the huge tree falling on adjacent buildings and [applying] for the nest tree to be removed. “For this reason,” Wilson says, “WiTS works with local governments to ask them to write bylaws that place buffers around particular nest trees.” There are nest trees in nearby locations that residents may never have noticed. “There’s one very local tree close to Parksville,” says Sandra Gray, who works as a volunteer identifying wildlife trees for the program. “The nests can be really huge, half the size of a vehicle, but people miss them.” Sometimes it can be difficult to convince landowners of the value inherent in the trees, but there have been successes says Gray. “Public awareness is growing. There’s about 200 tree stewards between Sooke and Campbell River including some of the Gulf Islands,” she notes, adding “there’s a balance that’s not good on Vancouver Island. People come here for the green that they see ... I would say most would rather see a tree than a bulldozer any day.” |
