LETTER: Aldergrove resident upset trees removed for new development

Dear Editor,

Letter to Langley Township

I am very disappointed in the tree removal laws in Langley Township. An area behind Parkside School has been clear cut, except for one beautiful evergreen right on the fence line adjacent to the park. I am praying this tree is left.

They are removing a beautiful tree, decades and decades old, before the development of the site has even begun. I have seen developments in Surrey where beautiful trees such as this one are spared, left standing, and the development proceeded with the tree left standing.

• READ MORE: LETTER: Langley resident saddened watching trees chopped

I am extremely upset that no effort was made to preserve this magnificent tree.

In this era of climate change, I find the clear-cutting of this site very disturbing.

I realize the developer is mandated to plant some replacement trees, however, old trees store more carbon in proportion to their size than young trees. They capture and store carbon in their biomass - their roots, stumps, and branches. When it comes to a tree’s climate benefit, as a tree gets older. it also stores more carbon. So the replacement of this magnificent, older tree with a young tree, although a small measure of comfort, is not equal to the tree that was removed.

Again, I am so disappointed that developers are still allowed to raze their land.

From a concerned and upset Langley resident.

Liz Pahlke, Aldergrove