Editor:
Because I’m usually happy to accept credit in situations where laziness retroactively makes me appear to have acted considerately, I don’t mind extending credit to others now and then for unprovable good intentions. So, even though I suspect the reason that two recently downed trees I saw in Arrowhead Park were cut high off the ground was to avoid the thickness at the base, I’m going to thank the Town of Gibsons and its contractor for leaving habitat that wildlife might be able to use.
In its web section titled Creating Snags From Live Trees, the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife advises “If a live tree greater than 12 inches in diameter needs to be taken down on your property, consider making a snag by removing the top of the tree, while leaving a stump that is at least 10 feet tall.” For once in the calendar year, this appears actually to have occurred in the context of culling sanctioned by the Town.
I can’t say I have great confidence that someone won’t be back with a bigger saw to finish off these two trunks, or to raze to the ground 20 neighbouring trees for good measure.
But on this occasion and for however briefly, I warmly congratulate the Town for not having squandered an opportunity to leave snags rather than stumps.
David Stow, Elphinstone
