Spring 2026

🌳 Urban Forest Update: What Residents Should Know

We are at a pivotal moment for the future of Coquitlam's trees.

Following a recent meeting with senior staff, it appears the City is preparing to move forward with the current draft Urban Forest Management Strategy largely as-is—without incorporating several key improvements that residents, experts, and advisory groups have been calling for over the past three years.

This is concerning.

Many community members have contributed significant time, knowledge, and care to this process. Yet the current draft still does not go far enough to:

• protect mature trees
• set clear canopy targets
• ensure the Strategy is supported by the bylaws needed to make it effective

Without these elements, there is a real risk that tree loss will continue to outpace replacement.

Council has not made a final decision yet. Residents still have a window to speak up before April 30.

Letter to the editor (external link)

Want more information? See the Urban Forest Resources in the sidebar and read the PDF documents.

---

📧 What You Can Do Right Now

Email Mayor and Council

Even a short message can make a difference.

✉️ mayor_council@coquitlam.ca

Ask for:

• stronger protection of existing trees
• clear canopy targets and accountability
• alignment between the Strategy and City bylaws

---

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.

Please note that emails to Mayor and Council are part of the public record.

---

Spread the Word

Help more residents get informed and involved:

• share this information with neighbours and friends
• share or post the community poster
• encourage others to contact Council

Learn More

For a deeper understanding of the issues, explore the Urban Forest Resources in the sidebar:

• The Protection Gap – how current bylaws allow loss of mature trees
• Setting the Record Straight – fact-checking common claims
• The Regional Standard – how Coquitlam compares to other cities
• A Stronger Tree Bylaw for Coquitlam – a practical framework for improvement

📌 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.

---

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.

---