Upcoming Events - Spring 2026

Urban Forest Strategy — What It Means for Trees in Our Community

Take Action Now

There is still an opportunity for residents to be heard:

👉 Attend upcoming meetings (see below)

👉 Email the Mayor and Council: (see the quick message below)*

What are residents asking for

1. Strengthen protection of trees through updates to the Tree Protection Bylaw
2. Establish clear canopy goals and targets for the City
3. Embed the Urban Forest Strategy within broader land use planning and future City plans

Note: The Roy Stibbs Residents group is not leading this initiative. We are sharing this information because the City's draft Urban Forest Management Strategy will directly impact our neighbourhood and community.

---

Why this matters

The City of Coquitlam is developing an Urban Forest Management Strategy that will guide how trees and green spaces are managed across the community.

Many residents and environmental groups are concerned that the current draft focuses too heavily on tree planting, without the stronger protections needed to prevent the ongoing loss of mature trees.

Mature trees provide cooling, stormwater management, biodiversity, and livability — benefits that cannot be quickly replaced.

Decisions made now will shape our neighbourhood for decades.

---

Community Discussion with City Staff (anticipated)

Details to be confirmed

Environmental groups, including the Tri-Cities Urban Forest Working Group (TCUF), are expected to meet with City staff to provide feedback on the draft strategy.

This is likely one of the last opportunities to influence the direction of the plan before it moves forward.

---

April 14 — Burke Mountain Naturalists Meeting

Attend the Urban Forest Must-Haves Meeting

7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Como Lake United Church
535 Marmont St, Coquitlam

Presented by Nancy Furness and James Bobick of TCUF.

This session will outline what a strong and effective urban forest strategy should include — and what's currently missing from the current draft.

---

April 22 — Tri-Cities Environmental Alliance Meeting

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm (networking to follow)
Como Lake United Church
535 Marmont St, Coquitlam

This inaugural meeting brings together environmental groups from Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and Port Moody to share knowledge, align priorities, and strengthen collaboration.

---

Get up to speed on the Urban Forest Strategy

Council & Committee Delegation (March 30)

Key concerns were presented directly to Council

A recent delegation to Council and Committee raised concerns that the current draft Urban Forest Management Strategy places too much emphasis on tree planting without adequate protection for existing mature trees.

👉 Watch the presentation here.

The presentation highlights the need for stronger policies, clear canopy targets, and better alignment with City planning.

---

TUFF Showcase — 20-minute overview

About the TUFF Showcase

What should a real urban forest strategy look like?

The Tri-Cities Urban Forest Forum (TUFF) brought together 12 experts over three years to discuss the future of urban trees in Coquitlam and the Tri-Cities.

This 20-minute video is a highlights version of those discussions — a quick way to understand the key concerns, ideas, and what’s at stake.

👉 Watch the TUFF Showcase summary here.

Jump to key topics

• Why urban forests matter — 0:00
• What's happening to tree canopy — 3:00
• Concerns with the current draft strategy — 6:00
• What a stronger approach could include — 10:00
• Community perspectives and priorities — 14:00
• Key takeaways — 18:00

This is worth watching in full — it's only about 20 minutes.

---

Quick Urban Forest Email

Let our council know about your concerns on the Urban Forest Management Strategy. Use this email outline or write your own to send a message to the Mayor and council.

To: mayor_council@coquitlam.ca

Subject: Urban Forest Management Strategy

Dear Mayor and Council,

I agree with my neighbours and local experts that Coquitlam’s urban tree canopy is important and needs stronger protection.

I am concerned that the current draft strategy focuses too much on tree planting without enough protection for existing mature trees.

Please strengthen tree protection bylaws, set clear canopy targets, and ensure the strategy is aligned with broader City planning.

Thank you,

[Your Name]

Individual email addresses for each councillor can be found here.

Note that emails to the Mayor and Council are public records. Please keep this in mind when sending your message.