Three large cottonwood trees were taken down by the City of Abbotsford on Thursday affternoon.
The trees, which were located in Mill Lake Park, close to Bevan Avenue, were deemed as potential hazards and removed as a safety precaution.
Ken Snowden, an arborist for the city, explained that a tree risk assessment was performed using a 12-point scale, and the probability of failure of a large branch or the tree itself, was high enough to require removal.
While he didn’t personally do the assessment, Snowden said the trees in question had similar problems including co-dominant branches, which is when a tree has two large branches emerging from the same point. This can lead to splitting.
A crew cut the trees down and a logging truck picked up the wood to be taken to a nearby pulp mill.
Rick Daykin, Abbotsford’s manager of parks services, said the trees were a danger because they were located close to three target areas – a walking path, the picnic shelter and playground, and a new labyrinth.