A community activist is concerned that illegal tree topping on Capitol Hill will not only have a harmful effect on nature, but on Burnaby residents as well.

In April, Judi Marshall was walking along Hythe Avenue with her husband towards the Trans Canada Trail when they noticed the path was littered with large branches.

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“We said, ‘That’s weird,’” Marshall recalled.

Upon investigating, Marshall discovered that several trees above the trail appeared to have been topped. Marshall suspects a local resident seeking a better view for their deck is responsible.

“It’s just pure selfishness,” she said. “(The trail) belongs to all of us.”

Marshall, who has spoken publicly about her opposition to the nearby Chevron Burnaby refinery, believes the once 40-foot Hemlocks partially shielded the neighbourhood from the worst of the refinery’s emissions. But due to the recent tree chopping, residents will be in danger of being hit by loose branches and increased access to fumes, according to Marshall.

“He thinks he’s opened up a nice view, but he’s really opened up a nice corridor so he can get blasted (by those emissions),” she said.

Marshall contacted the City of Burnaby following her discovery. The city confirmed that nearly 20 trees on city property had been recently topped in the area without a permit.

The city is aware of the incident, but as the director or parks and recreation Dave Ellenwood explained, they need to catch the perpetrators in the act in order to make a case in court.

He said it’s difficult for the city to do so, with so much ground to cover.

The city’s fine for defacing city property is $2,000.

“It’s very, very frustrating,” Ellenwood said. “It’s frustrating for our staff in the field when they’ve put in so much work to maintain the public forest to see someone unilaterally for their own interest do something like that. It is frustrating because those are for the public enjoyment of our citizens.”

While tree toppings are fairly rare in Burnaby, the city did point out it happens from time to time.

Ellenwood suggested sometimes the work is done at the hands of a contractor who knows the rules but is just trying to make a buck.

He warned any contractor found breaking the rules won’t be working in the city again.

“If they (the public) see a contractor and they know it’s in the public property doing things they shouldn’t, these business depend on knowing the rules,” he said.

Meanwhile, Marshall hopes that public awareness will shame those responsible away from a repeat attempt.

“I think it’s getting to be a problem in the city.”