It is great that Nelson has its own hydro-electric utility. Nelson Hydro provides local renewable power and helps keep electricity costs down. Unfortunately, as Nelson Hydro is part of the City of Nelson, our street trees are at risk.
In most places, the city owns the right-of-ways and trees growing on them, and leases the land to utilities for utility corridors. That makes it possible for Vancouver, for instance, to say all suitable, healthy and mature trees must be preserved by utilities like BC Hydro by pruning or moving wires underground.
Here, if Nelson Hydro takes issue with a given tree, even when it’s a healthy, mature and appropriate street tree species, it is free to remove that tree.
As one example, there is a healthy English Walnut that has spent its life growing underneath powerlines. I have a photo of a tram and powerline taken before the tree was planted. In 2022, Nelson Hydro decided the tree needed to be removed. An arborist informed me that English Walnuts are suitable street trees and that this tree had been pruned many times and was healthy with room to grow. I was able to prevent the removal of this tree for now but it remains at risk of arbitrary Nelson Hydro decisions.
During the 2023 West Kelowna fire, crews were kept away from streets with above ground powerlines because they could get trapped if the poles burned.
Trees are an important Nelson City asset that provide important services like cooling, air filtering, storm surge reduction, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration and food. In most Canadian cities, trees are highly valued for these services as well as for their beauty. Nelson needs to give our trees the respect they deserve. We also need to move to underground power conduits as soon as possible.
Ian Parfitt
Nelson
