Maple Ridge blows past tree-planting target
Maple Ridge has beat its tree-planting target by more than 50 percent.
The initial goal of the city-led program was to plant 1,000 trees, and more than 1,500 have now been added across the community’s boulevards and parks.
In an April 27 press release, the city touted the results as a milestone in its efforts to expand the city’s urban canopy and strengthen tree protection rules.
Mayor Dan Ruimy said the city intentionally targeted areas where residents would see the most benefit.
“We focused on neighbourhoods with less tree cover and tree species, so more people can benefit from shade, cleaner air, and greener streets,” he said.
The planting program, completed this spring, focused on neighbourhoods with historically lower tree cover, including Hammond, west Maple Ridge, the Town Centre and central areas of the city.
Funded in part through the federal government’s 2 Billion Trees Program, the initiative was delivered via the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Growing Canada’s Community Canopies program.
City staff planted a mix of 80 tree species – including shade, ornamental, flowering and evergreen varieties – with locations selected by arborists based on infrastructure, existing vegetation and long-term viability.
Boulevards with sidewalks, curb and gutter, and street lighting were prioritized to reduce the likelihood of future conflicts with upgrades.
The program is part of Maple Ridge’s Urban Forest Management Plan, a 20-year strategy aimed at reaching a 40 per cent urban tree canopy by 2050.
The city says the additional trees are expected to deliver long-term benefits such as urban cooling, stormwater management, air filtration and improved habitat.
In addition to new plantings, the city also replaced trees removed in previous years and added canopy in parks to expand access to shaded public spaces.
The milestone comes as council prepares to consider updates to the city’s Tree Protection and Management Bylaw, with a decision scheduled for April 28 and potential adoption in mid-May.
The proposed changes would introduce new permit and replacement requirements, expand the use of arborist reports, and update critical root zone protections. The bylaw would also require security deposits for trees retained or replanted as part of development applications, and limit the use of cash-in-lieu payments to situations where on-site planting is not feasible.
City staff say the overhaul is intended to modernize enforcement and close gaps in the current system, while balancing the fact that nearly half of Maple Ridge’s tree canopy sits on private land.
Other changes include a simplified bylaw and revised fee system aimed at improving cost recovery and removing incentives for removing multiple trees.
Cash-in-lieu contributions and forfeited securities would continue to feed into the city’s tree reserve fund, which supports future planting and urban forest initiatives.
Residents living near planting sites were notified throughout 2025 and invited to open houses, with the city also responding to inquiries about impacts to private property.
The city is continuing to accept requests for new street trees through its online application process, with locations to be assessed for future planting cycles.
Newly planted trees will be maintained and watered over the summer to help them establish, before transitioning to ongoing care by city parks staff later in the year.
