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Students ask Courtenay council to take on Trees in Cities Challenge

Students at École Puntledge Park would like to see Courtenay become the second city in Canada to undertake the Trees in Cities Challenge, a campaign launched by the United Nations. The idea is to plant trees on public and private land in an effort to mitigate climate change, and to increase the overall health of a community.
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Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells, left, and Coun. Will Cole-Hamilton paid a visit to École Puntledge Park Thursday to meet with students who asked the City to take up the Trees in Cities Challenge. Scott Stanfield photo

Students at École Puntledge Park would like to see Courtenay become the second city in Canada to undertake the Trees in Cities Challenge, a campaign launched by the United Nations. The idea is to plant trees on public and private land in an effort to mitigate climate change, and to increase the overall health of a community.

Victoria became the first city to take up the challenge last year when it pledged to plant 5,000 trees by the end of 2020.

Courtenay Mayor Bob Wells and Coun. Will Cole-Hamilton met Thursday at Puntledge with a class of Grade 6 and 7 students who asked the City to take up the challenge.

The visitors commended the elementary students for their questions and ideas. One student said trees contribute to mental health, and can decrease a person’s blood pressure. Another noted the positive effect on property values.

“It’s not just planting new trees but restoring the ones that we already have,” a girl said.

Wells told the students about a bylaw enacted by council that protects trees that reach a certain size.

Woodcote and Lewis parks, and the proposed Kus-kus-sum site by the 17th Street Bridge were some of the suggested locations to plant trees.

“These are really great ideas,” said Cole-Hamilton, who would be happy to forward a motion, based on student ideas, for council’s consideration.

Wells said the school could become a partner group with the City, joining other groups such as Rotary and Project Watershed that have planted and protected trees locally.

He also suggested a student delegation visit council to further discuss the topic.

“The sky’s the limit,” said Wells, who was greeted with a strong show of hands when he asked how many students have their own YouTube channel.