Aerial view of a large dead tree in Stantley Park

Vancouver Park Board approves removal of high-risk trees in Stanley Park following recent severe weather

December 10 2024 –

The hemlock looper infestation continues to significantly impact Stanley Park. Dead trees present a growing risk, particularly in areas where the Park Board have not yet commenced mitigation work. Trees already weakened by the hemlock looper infestation have failed as a result of the extreme rain and wind events in October and November 2024.  These failures make it clear that trees affected by the hemlock looper outbreak are deteriorating more rapidly than expected. Since the bomb cyclone in November, staff have closed off key trails to mitigate the public safety risks posed by adjacent dead trees.

At its meeting last night, the Vancouver Park Board approved a plan to accelerate the removal of hazardous trees in high priority untreated areas to mitigate public safety risks and prevent prolonged closures of key trails within the park. 

The high priority areas include sections along Stanley Park Drive, North Lagoon Drive, and the remaining untreated sections along the seawall from Siwash Rock to Second Beach originally scheduled for treatment in fall 2025 as part of the third and final phase of planned mitigation work. Rather, staff are aiming to expedite this work before the bird nesting season begins in March.

“We are committed to ensuring the safety of all park visitors while minimizing disruptions,” said Park Board Chair Brennan Bastyovanszky. “We greatly appreciate the public’s patience as we continue to manage this complex situation and work towards restoring the park’s ecological health.”

Next steps and public impact

The advancement of this work will help maintain access to key areas of the park, avoid extended closures, and improve safety for both visitors and staff. Project schedule and traffic impacts will be shared in January 2025.    

Work to date 

During the first phase of emergency work from October 2023 to April 2024, fewer than 8,000 dead trees that posed the highest risks to public safety were removed in 25 percent of the affected forest areas. This emergency response addressed the Stanley Park Causeway, Prospect Point, the Train precinct, Pipeline Road and sections along Stanley Park Drive. The work culminated with the planting of 25,000 native trees last spring. Tree removals for Phase 2, anticipated to be completed in January 2025, will be reported once the work is completed and all data is compiled.  

The Stanley Park Hemlock Looper Impact and Wildfire Risk Assessment (4.2 MB) details the extent of the damage in Stanley Park. It’s important to note, however, that only trees that present a risk to public safety will need to be removed.