Lou Okruhlica is a concerned Coquitlam resident who would like to draw the public's attention to a planned development that he feels will endanger the last significant grove of cedar trees on Burke Mountain.

The development in question in planned to go in the northeast sector of Burke Mountain and Mr. Okruhlica feels that the underground parking featured in the development plans will cut off one of the few natural aquifers located on the mountain and will have a detrimental effect upon the grove of cedar trees that he would like to see retained.

As the development on Burke Mountain expands in the future there is going to be a greater need to retain some park space for the population that lives there. Again Mr. Okruhlica feels that the cedar grove that is currently endangered by development should be given some consideration for preservation and that any long term plans for the developing community should make this a priority.

The land in question is still held by the Lands Division of the City of Coquitlam which makes galvanizing community support to save the trees all that more important. Once the property is sold off to developers the fight to preserve the trees will become greater.

The City of Coquitlam has already proposed a two acre park just east of the section of forest that Mr. Okruhlica is fighting to preserve. It's a good sign that the City has been giving some thought to preserving green space in the region, the fight now is really to get them to prioritize and understand that an older growth cedar forest has way more value to the community than another open field somewhere.

For more information and to sign a petition in support of saving this valuable cedar forest on Burke Mountain go to ; www.change.org/p/stop-the-destruction-of-the-last-cedar-forest-on-burke-mountain