The City’s Engineering Department and Parks & Recreation Department are working together to relocate a rare, mature, specimen tree, loquat leaf oak (Quercus rysophylla), currently located in the traffic circle between Thirteenth Street and Seventh Avenue. The tree will be transplanted to the west entrance of Moody Park, at Seventh Avenue and Tenth Street, west of Moody Park Outdoor Pool. See Figures 1-3 for locations. The relocation of this valuable tree is necessary due to underground works to improve critical utility infrastructure.

Read more about this interesting tree in an article by the Record.

TRANSPORTATION NOTICE

Work is scheduled to take place Tuesday, February 7 - Friday, February 10.

Temporary no-parking signs will be posted at critical locations along Seventh Avenue and near the Thirteenth Street intersection. Please expect traffic disruptions with alternating single lane traffic in this location February 7 - 10, 2023. The area surrounding the planting location in Moody Park will be fenced off for public safety.

SPECIES SIGNIFICANCE

Quercus rysophylla (loquat leaf oak) is native to Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipa, and San Luis Potosi regions of Mexico, in the mountains at mid to low elevation. The known populations are small and fragmented, resulting in a conservation status of the loquat leaf oak as “Near Threatened.” To the knowledge of staff, local tree nurseries, and regional tree experts, it is the only specimen of this oak species known to exist in the region, and possibly in Canada. 

The rare oak tree was planted by City staff approximately 10 years ago, with a hunch that it might be adaptive to the anticipated change in climate. Although the tree was planted in a constrained location, it has doubled in size over a 10 year period and proven resilient to long periods of hot, dry weather.

With these findings, it is believed the loquat oak may be a good addition to the Urban Tree List for Metro Vancouver in a Changing Climate. In addition to our efforts to transplant and preserve the tree, staff are also collaborating with the UBC Botanical Garden and local nurseries to collect plant tissue for reproduction.

For more information please contact Sylvain Martel, Senior Arborist, Parks & Recreation, smartel@newwestcity.ca.

Figure 1 - Existing and Proposed Location of the tree

Figure 2 - Existing Location of the Tree

Figure 3 - Proposed Location