Stanley Park tree removal to result in lane, road closures: Vancouver Park Board

Drivers are being warned of potential delays between Vancouver and the North Shore, as the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation urgently needs to remove about 160,000 trees in the Stanley Park area.

The trees need to be removed because of an ongoing hemlock looper moth infestation. The moths are known to hatch in the spring and then kill the trees, resulting in safety hazards to people who may be visiting the park.

The board is expecting major roadways in the area, including the Stanley Park causeway, to be affected by tree removal work between Dec. 3 and Jan. 28.

Lane closures will be in effect along the Causeway for several days, while there are also plans to fully close the Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge on Dec. 17 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

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Other impacts include:

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The board says about 25 per cent of Stanley Park’s trees have been damaged by looper months. It adds the city’s Urban Forestry team continues to manage and remove individual trees, the situation has escalated beyond its capacities and has required the need for “external personnel … to mitigate risks.”

“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 Vancouver Park Board Director Amit Gandha.

“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.”

Impacted areas will be replanted with native species, including Douglas fir, western red cedar, grand fir, big leaf maple, and red alder.

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-With files from Hana Mae Nassar and Kier Junos