Dear Editor:
Regarding your Feb. 22 story RCMP Investigate Park Tree Cutting: Like most North Vancouver residents, I read this story with some horror. The depth of arrogance required to perform this vandalism (or pay someone else to do the dirty work) is astonishing. I suspect that we'll be watching for "For Sale" signs at neighbouring houses.
As an arborist, I am a bit perplexed by the article's description of the damages. Surely the District of North Vancouver is having an independent arborist conduct an appraisal of the value of the trees, plus the costs of clean up, with the intention of pursuing these total costs in court once the perpetrator is found?
In terms of finding this person or persons, I can only hope that my colleagues in the arboriculture industry are quietly asking around to see who might have committed this destruction, if indeed members of the industry aided in the illegal cutting.
What this event does highlight is the value of "the view" in real estate. It would seem obvious that buying a home next to a natural area would entail living next to growing conifers. The sense of entitlement, in this case, has obviously gone way too far.
Catherine MacDonald North Vancouver
