Last December, Council adopted a new Urban Forest Management Strategy. In short, the strategy is to protect and enhance trees, forests, and soils to ensure the long-term health and resiliency of our urban forest.
Previous mapping by the Metro Vancouver Regional District showed that Langley City was on the lower end of the urban tree coverage scale compared to other municipalities in the region. In Langley City, this lack of tree cover is most pronounced in the northern parts of our community, which have industrial and commercial lands. This leads to the urban heat island effect, where these areas are hotter, and air quality worsens, both of which are harmful to human health. Expanding the urban forest is the best way to combat this effect.
Three of the “quick wins” noted in the strategy include updating policies and regulations to increase tree protection and the growth of the urban forest, proactively managing city-owned trees to maintain their long-term health, and planting more trees. As such, the City is working on a new Tree Management Bylaw.
In the summer, the City held an open house to get feedback about what people would like to see in a Tree Management Bylaw. The City is holding another open house on:
Date: Thursday, December 4, 2025
Time: 5:30PM-7:30PM
Location: Timms Community Centre
For more information, please visit Let’s Chat, Langley City!
