Changing climate means more falling branches in area parks
Signs went up recently around Pacific Spirit Park cautioning people about falling branches on popular trails, citing years of storms, drought and bug infestations that have weakened trees.
“For your safety, be aware of your surroundings at all times,” the Metro Vancouver signs read. “Trees and branches may be weakened from damage and may fall without warning, especially after rainfall or when windy.”
Should folks be concerned? “Yeah, it does concern me,” said Rhonda Sto as she began walking an excitable chocolate Lab and a couple of runt rescues at the park near UBC, where one of the signs is posted at the trailhead.
“I heard a huge crack behind us and a tree fell to the ground two days ago. And last year a tree fell 10 feet in front of me on the trail. I'm constantly worried, not just about the danger to me, but to the dogs.”
There's a good chance both those trees were cleared away by the next day.
Tricia Dong, walking her Labradoodle Kepler (as in astronomer Johannes) sends photos of fallen trees and branches to Metro Vancouver when she comes across them. She has done so many times, she said.
“And they're on the ball. I see their crews out all the time.”
It's great having so much nature close to Metro Vancouver, but it's still nature, and Dong takes precautions. If she's listening to music, the volume is low and she has a bud in only one ear so she can hear the sound of a branch cracking. On windy days, she is extra careful.
It's the sort of caution Metro Vancouver urges all parks visitors to practise.
Richard Wallis, park operations supervisor with Metro Vancouver, said the signs went up last month because park crews noticed an increase in the number of trees falling in recent weeks.
“We have an active program, addressing risks that are identified and then removing them. The signs, I think, are part of helping get that message out to people that we are seeing a change,” he said.
“There are things happening in the forest that are different, and we've installed (the signs) in a few locations in the park where we're seeing increased impacts from climate change.”
Any time you go out in the forest anywhere there is some risk that we all face.”
Park supervisor Richard Wallis
Abutting UBC and facing English Bay, parts of the park face storms head on. And coyotes prowl the grounds.
“Any time you go out in the forest anywhere there is some risk that we all face,” Wallis said.
“What we're trying to do is make sure we're providing as much information as we can to people to make good choices so they can continue to enjoy the parks safely.
“Obviously, the trails are here to be used and enjoyed. But whether it's trees or coyotes, there are (wild) things in that forest and we want them to be here.
“We're here to protect nature as it is, but we also want people to be safe in the park and have a good visit.”
Which is exactly what Maria Luisa Di Tomaso was doing on a recent sunny morning as she wound down a stroll through Pacific Spirit's trails with a friend.
“We walk here a lot,” she said. “You're mindful, put it that way.
“But there's nothing here to make you think it's dangerous.”