Wednesday, July 27, 2005
DC Arborist Selected for Society of Municipal Arborists Exchange Program
IV) Water Resource Management
Although Vancouver receives significant rainfall annually, many water conservation programs are being implemented by the city. Shoreline protection and management is a significant challenge especially where private property extends to the shoreline. Here the problem is called Accretion Evolution. Since the property owner owns land that extends to the shoreline, some property owners illegally place logs to trap sand in order to “increase” the amount of property they own.
Challenges and Solutions
Wildlife in city – there are a number of salmon spawning streams and trout steams within the city limits and the Board has developed unique private public partnerships to ensure these habitats are protected and remain productive. In many instances there are agreements with property owners to maintain tree cover along the streams and in one instance a property owner paid for the installation of culverts and ladders to aid the migration of fish.
In a few areas bioretention ponds have been constructed and there is a push for the installation of synthetic temporary curbs with openings that allow run off to go to water streetscape plantings before entering the drainage system. In one case I saw wastewater from a drinking fountain being artistically diverted to water plants.
V) In Conclusion
I am very happy to have been selected for this exchange and I highly recommend the arborist exchange program as it fosters professional development enabling observation and discussion of common problems with a colleague in another country. I was able to get a different perspective and some unique solutions or variations to current methodologies that we use.
