Calls to Action
Prioritize food security by protecting agricultural land, preserving parkland, and expanding the urban forest for environmental and cooling benefits. Call for a private property tree protection bylaw, stronger tree bylaws, ending setback reductions, and assigning economic value to natural services in city budgets.
Why It Matters
Our agricultural land is critical for our present and future food security. We must value it and protect it for our future.
We need to preserve our parkland and greenspace for the environmental and social benefits.
Expanding and strengthening Kelowna’s urban forest along our streets also provides environmental and social benefits. The trees provide cooling, shade, clean our air, and provide for natural groundwater and surface water management. The practice of granting reductions in setbacks should be stopped.
Trees on private property provide a great contribution throughout neighbourhoods and on commercial properties, even along our highways. These all contribute to the ambience and livability of the city.
Kelowna’s tree protection bylaw requires strengthening. Kelowna requires a private property tree protection bylaw.
Our greenspace provides for natural services that should be given an economic value and included in the city budgets.