The Town of Gibsons has released its first-ever Urban Forest Plan to protect and expand the tree canopy within the Town. It is currently collecting public feedback through a community survey until March 18. This is your chance to help ensure that bold, science-based solutions guide the future of Gibsons’ forests.
Why Does This Matter?
Gibsons’ forests, tree-lined streets, and natural areas are more than just beautiful scenery—they are the lungs of our community and a shield against climate change. Healthy urban forests:
- Protect biodiversity by providing essential habitats for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.
- Help combat climate change by storing carbon and cooling urban environments.
- Mitigate flooding impacts by reducing stormwater runoff.
- Support fish and marine species by safeguarding riparian areas and improving water quality in local streams and the ocean.
- Enhance community well-being by offering shade, clean air, and spaces to connect with nature.
The Need to Go Further: Half for Nature
The Nature Needs Half initiative underscores that half of all lands and waters on Earth must remain intact to support both nature and human well-being. Scientists and conservation leaders worldwide agree that protecting at least 50% of the planet is essential to maintaining ecological balance, preventing biodiversity loss, and ensuring a livable climate.
The Future of Our Tree Canopy: Three Possible Scenarios
The Town of Gibsons is considering three potential paths for the future of its urban forest:
- Scenario 1 (Status Quo): If no significant changes are made, urban canopy cover will decline to 28% due to development and tree loss.
- Scenario 2 (No Net Loss): With moderate investments, tree planting efforts would offset losses, keeping canopy cover stable at 30%.
- Scenario 3 (Urban Forest Expansion): With stronger tree protection laws and increased tree planting, the town’s urban forest canopy could expand to 31%, ensuring better shade coverage, climate resilience, and biodiversity protection.
While Scenario 3 is the most ambitious option in the plan, even 31% canopy cover falls short of what’s needed to protect Gibsons’ ecosystems and increase climate resilience.
Imagine a future where half of Gibsons’ natural landscapes—forests, streams, and green spaces—are permanently protected for future generations. We can strive for more ambitious policies that respond to the urgent climate and biodiversity crises.
Recommendations for Strengthening the Plan
To align the Urban Forest Plan with the Nature Needs Half vision and to ensure stronger protection for Gibsons’ tree canopy and climate resilience, the Town of Gibsons could consider the following suggestions to enhance the urban forest plan:
- Commit to Protecting Half for Nature – Aim to restore and protect 50% of Gibsons’ land as natural areas, ensuring a lasting ecological legacy for future generations.
- Lead by example: Require planting more trees than are removed and prioritize restoring natural habitats on town-owned lands.
- Prioritize Shade Equity in Parks – Plant more trees in open grassy parks like Brothers Field, Dougall, Aurora, Winegarden, and Holland. Ensuring shade coverage in public spaces will reduce urban heat and improve community well-being.
- Fix Conflicting Policies: Review and remove outdated land use agreements, such as the one in the Oceanmount covenant that prevents tree growth to protect views.
- Establish an Urban Forest Protection Zone – Create a zoning bylaw designation that restricts development and tree removal in high-value ecological areas.
- Introduce a ‘Forest Protection’ Development Permit Area (DPA) – Require developers to submit a Tree Protection Plan as part of permitting and uphold a ‘no net loss’ policy in the DPA.
- Strengthen the Tree Cutting Bylaw – Expand protections to all trees over 20 cm in diameter and increase fines for unauthorized cutting.
- Introduce a Heritage & Landmark Tree Registry – identify and protect culturally, historically, or ecologically significant trees to preserve Gibsons’ natural heritage.
- Ensure Climate-Resilience – Incorporate climate projections into tree species selection and long-term urban forest management strategies.
- Establish a Comprehensive Tree Inventory – Engage trained community volunteers under Town supervision to conduct a tree inventory, collecting data on canopy cover, species diversity, and ecosystem health.
- Integrate Geotechnical, Soils, and Botanical Data – Ensure that the Urban Forest Plan incorporates scientific data from the Upper Gibsons Neighbourhood Plan to guide evidence-based decision-making.
- Implement Science-Based Monitoring – Develop a standardized monitoring program to assess tree health, canopy changes, and biodiversity trends using field surveys, remote sensing, and community science initiatives.
- Secure Sustainable Funding – Explore carbon offset programs, developer contributions, and conservation partnerships to ensure long-term urban forest protection, restoration and management.
The Role of Community Engagement
This is a rare opportunity to shape the policies that will determine the future of Gibsons’ forests. Your voice matters. By speaking up now, we can ensure that stronger protections for trees and natural areas become a priority.
Your input will help decide:
- Where and how trees should be protected and planted.
- What priorities the town should focus on.
- How to ensure long-term forest maintenance and community stewardship.
TAKE ACTION: Complete the Survey & Advocate for More
The Urban Forest Plan survey is open now, and we urge all SCCA supporters to fill it out. Ask the Town of Gibsons to adopt the ‘Half for Nature’ goal and commit to protecting at least 50% of its lands for conservation.
Don’t wait; trees take decades to grow but only moments to lose. Act now to protect the forests that sustain us all!
Want to stay updated on essential conservation efforts like this? Subscribe to our eNews and get the latest updates straight to your inbox.
Featured Image: The forest at Gospel Rock. Image Credit: Sarama