Orange pylons, detour signs and construction equipment have become a familiar sight for residents of Marda Loop’s main street.

Red tree cutting signs? Not so much.

“It was a little strange,” Marda Loop resident Erica Blair said of the first time she saw the signs. “There was no explanation of what was going on.”

Residents like Blair are concerned that the city is unnecessarily removing old, healthy trees and not doing enough to save them. But experts say plans to replace and increase the area’s tree canopy overall are key aspects of the project.

As of 2009, the city identified 24 existing major streets that needed revitalization. Main Streets ProgramThe goal is to transform these key areas into pedestrian-friendly streets that encourage business growth and the growth of surrounding communities.

So far, three streets have been redesigned: 37th Street SW, Bowness Road in Montgomery and 17th Avenue SW

Work in Marda Loop is taking place along 33rd and 34th Avenues, and the city is also working on improvements in Bridgeland.

Once completed, the program should give a boost to every neighbourhood, says Bev Sandalack, a professor in the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Design.

“The plan is to change the cross-section of the streets, narrowing the roadway, widening the sidewalks, increasing the number of trees in the area and creating more amenities for pedestrians,” Sandalack said.

According to the City of Calgary, 99 of the 177 trees along Marda Loop’s main street will need to be removed due to conflicts with utility lines and sidewalk expansions. About 55 percent of the existing tree canopy in the area is slated for removal.

Foliage defects

The city’s tree cover problems are nothing new, says Sandalack, explaining that the ideal tree cover in cities is usually around 20 percent, but in Calgary it is only around eight percent.

“The city’s goal is 16 percent. That’s still less, but at least about double what they have now,” she said.

In a statement to CBC News, the city said it plans to “plant over 100 new trees throughout the community.”

“We understand the important role trees play in a community and understand the concerns of local residents. All trees removed as part of the Marda Loop Main Streets project will serve to improve safety and accessibility for everyone who walks, rides, bikes or drives through Marda Loop,” the statement said.

According to the city websiteThe new trees will be a mix of Northern Blaze white ash, Northern Acclaim honeythorn and American elm.

Sandalack said improving the overall tree canopy has become a central component of most urban development projects.

“The idea is that in all plans – especially work that the city is responsible for – there will be a net increase in the number of trees,” she said.

“I don’t see any point in it”

Still, local residents are not convinced. Many, like Blair, were dismayed to see the seemingly healthy trees disappear.

“It was a little sad because some of them were huge,” said Blair, who has lived in Marda Loop for three years. “I really don’t understand what the point was in removing the trees.”

Others said the tree felling was disrupting traffic throughout the region.

“It takes about 10 minutes down the road, so I always take alternate routes,” says Catherine McGarry, who lives in the neighboring community of Bankview but often comes to Marda Loop for work.

McGarry said she also found the tree felling “strange” and felt it had changed the area too much.

“It used to be such a nice area to come and walk the dog or go shopping and stuff,” she said.

There are also concerns that younger trees may not withstand Calgary’s dry summers and freezing winters as well as mature trees that have adapted to the climate.

Sandalack said that while these are important considerations, young trees are not always as vulnerable as they seem.

“Every tree has a life cycle,” she said. “Urban trees don’t live very long anyway, so it’s generally a really good idea to include a replanting strategy in any restoration plan.”

Residents often become attached to trees that have been in their area for years, Sandalack says, but sometimes changes are necessary.

“Everyone wants progress, but nobody wants change,” she said. “When you see something happening in your neighborhood, but maybe you don’t see the big picture and long-term outcome you hoped for, it’s natural to be concerned about it.”

However, the responsibility for ensuring that the promised number of trees are actually planted lies with the city, Sandalack added.

Potential for the future

Completed projects, such as those along 17th Avenue SW and 37th Street SW, suggest that the program is having the intended impact so far. According to Hilary Stout, president of the Killarney-Glengarry Community Association — which covers both areas — there is a clear change along the two main streets.

“I think they’ve had a traffic calming effect and I think both streets actually look better. So they seem to have achieved some of their goals,” Stout said.

Both projects have not been without concerns, Stout added, with some residents expressing concern about the felling of mature trees in their area.

“In my experience in Calgary, people get upset when someone touches a tree,” Stout said. “We’re very protective of our trees and they must have been older trees because it’s an older neighbourhood.”

The Map of 37th Street According to the city, the street needed to be narrowed to make room for about 300 more trees, and 17th Avenue had a similar goal for planting trees.

Stout said that while she doesn’t know the exact number of newly planted trees in the area, it feels denser.

“It actually feels a little bit like there could be more trees on 37th Street, just obviously smaller, younger trees,” she said. “There aren’t many trees on 17th Street … but 17th Street is a major thoroughfare in the city, so it’s not like they’re tree-lining there.”

Blair hopes the same will be true for Marda Loop.

“Hopefully they will put it back in because it certainly looks much nicer,” she said.