Work to remove more than 160,000 trees at Stanley Park is well underway and continues to impact traffic in the immediate area.
The work is expected to take several years to complete, and will include the removal of around 25 per cent of all trees from the park. The tress have been damaged by the looper moth outbreak, which is also affecting trees in North and West Vancouver.
“Removing trees is not something we take lightly, but this work is essential to restarting the forest afresh and giving it the strongest chance at withstanding future threats to its health,” said Amit Gandha, the Vancouver Park board’s director of parks.
“With the park being so popular, this work will require time and an extra level of care to minimize impacts, and we thank the public in advance for their cooperation as we work to protect this very beloved space”
The City of Vancouver has released a schedule of expected traffic delays due to tree removal:
- Dec. 3, 10, 16, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., one lane closure on the Stanley Park Causeway, Northbound pedestrians and bikes will be detoured through Stanley Park to the west side of the Causeway/ bridge
- Dec. 17, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., full closure of the Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge
- Jan. 13, 14, 21, 27, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., one lane closure on the Stanley Park Causeway, southbound pedestrians and bikes will be detoured through Stanley Park to the east side of the Causeway/ bridge
- Jan. 28, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., full closure of the Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge
According to the city, when the single Stanley Park Causeway lanes are closed, traffic will flow in both directions via the remaining open lanes leading to and from Lions Gate Bridge.
Stanley Park trails will also be impacted during these times. The city is warning park enthusiasts to keep a vigilant eye open for all signage for safety reasons.
The hemlock looper moth is an endemic insect that experiences population outbreaks approximately every 15 years. Its larvae hatch in the spring and aggressively feed on foliage, causing the most damage between July and October.
City officials said tens of thousands of new trees will be planted in affected areas.
“Coupled with extensive invasive plant species management, the long-term goal is to reset the ecology of Stanley Park and create a more diverse, resilient forest environment,” city staff said in a release.