Vancouver park board launches fourth annual tree sale to help counter urban tree loss

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      If you want to beautify your property with trees while contributing to the growth of Vancouver’s tree canopy, here's a good opportunity to do so.

      The Vancouver Park Board’s fourth annual spring tree sale launched on April 30.

      All trees, for planting on private property (not on city boulevards), are selling online for $10 each, and residents can purchase up to a maximum of three trees.

      A selection of 2,851 trees are available, including fruit, flowering, and shade types.

      Vancouver park board chair Stuart MacKinnon stated in a news release that there are 28 varieties available, including celestial flowering dogwoods, inaba shidare Japanese maples, baby blue Colorado spruces, Victoria southern magnolias, sentinel columnar apples, lapins cherries, and yamhill hazelnuts.

      For those with smaller properties, among them are seven varieties suitable for large pots for smaller yards or balconies.

      Pre-ordered trees can be collected at Nat Bailey Staidum overflow parking lot on May 11 and 12 while a selection of unpurchased and unclaimed trees will be available for cash purchase at that location between 2 and 4 p.m. on May 12.

      Blue spruce
      ~UserGI15632523/Getty Images

      If you’re unable to participate in the online sale, you can also visit participating nurseries and receive $20 off any tree valued at $50 or more. Nurseries include Figaro’s Garden (1896 Victoria Drive), Hunter’s Garden Centre (2560 West Broadway or 15175 72nd Avenue in Surrey), or Gardenworks (6250 Lougheed Highway or 4746 Marine Drive in Burnaby).

      Vancouver’s tree canopy was estimated to be at 18 percent in 2013 and 19 percent in 2015.

      The park board has planted over 125,000 trees since 2010, with 55 percent of them planted on streets and in parks while 45 percent were planted on private property, such as backyards or development sites.

      The park board’s goal is to plant 150,000 trees by 2020 and to prevent tree loss. Their Urban Forest Strategy aims to restore forests across 25 hectares and to double the number of street trees in a number of neighbourhoods, including the Downtown Eastside, the False Creek Flats, and Marpole.

      More information about the online sale is available at the City of Vancouver website. 

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at @cinecraig or on Facebook

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