The aging fir trees must be removed, but Nico Wynd residents are hoping replacement nesting poles and baskets will keep the protected birds coming back
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For years, one of several aging fir trees on a South Surrey golf course has sheltered a bald eagle. Now, the trees have become a safety hazard — and residents are racing to build the pair a new home before they fall.
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Residents of Nico Wynd Estates are raising money to help offset the hefty cost of installing and monitoring artificial nests for protected birds.
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The fir was flagged after the estates’ strata hired an independent arborist to assess tree conditions. The review found some trees had been weakened by fungal rot and needed to come down, according to Myles Lamont, a wildlife biologist who serves as a director with the Hancock Wildlife Foundation and is the founder of TerraFauna Wildlife Consulting.
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“The problem in this case is the trees could fall onto the houses if it’s not dealt with,” said Lamont, who was contracted by the strata to develop a wildlife mitigation plan.
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The bald eagle nest is protected under the province’s Wildlife Act, and theaging trees cannot simply be removed without authorization of proposed mitigation measures.
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The plan is to install a tall artificial nest pole with a basket on top, about 50 to 80 metres from the existing eagle nest. The 21-metre structure would give the birds a nearby place to return to their nesting territory. The project also includes an osprey nesting structure on another part of the property.
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“They’ll be leaving now through mid to late September. The hope is that when they return … they’ll have nesting habitats in place with the existing trees already gone,” said Lamont.
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Lamont says when the birds come back, they may choose to take up nests in other old trees on the property.
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“They usually like to get as high as they can,” he said. “There’s a chance they will take up a nest in a natural tree on their own. In that case, another eagle will eventually take up the replacement habitat.”
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The mitigation plan is being submitted to the Province of B.C. for approval as part of the permitting process required before the trees can be removed, according to Lamont.
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“It’s an expensive project the strata didn’t ask for,” he said. “It’s not like they’re developing the site and going to profit from it. So, it’s a good thing the community is stepping up to help.”
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For the people living in the 132 homes on the property, the work is about more than following environmental rules — it’s about protecting a habitat that species have used for decades.
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Nico Wynd resident and strata council member Peter Ufford started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help offset the project’s total cost of $25,000. As of Thursday, the online campaign has raised close to $3,000 of its $9,000 goal.
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Ufford said he hopes donations will help reduce the financial burden falling on residents and the Nico Wynd Golf Course.
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“If we don’t do it now, it’ll be another whole year before we can act again,” he said. ”Those trees could fall at any point.”
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Lamont said projects like this are becoming more common as communities try to balance wildlife protection with safety concerns, along with urban development and changing landscapes.
