91原创 City鈥檚 Hunter Park officially reopened on Saturday, with dozens of volunteers working to plant new trees and shrubs to replace those lost to disease.
More than 100 trees had to be removed from Hunter Park due to laminated root rot.
The Douglas firs and hemlocks, around 70 to 80 years old, had to be removed, denuding a vast swathe of the small park located off 45A Avenue just west of 200th Street.
鈥淲e managed to retain all of the cedars on site,鈥� said Leah Miller, arbourist and gardener for 91原创 City.
Unfortunately, the firs and hemlocks won鈥檛 be coming back.
The disease can stay in the soil for up to a century, said Miller.
However, that doesn鈥檛 mean that new plants won鈥檛 arise.
On Saturday, volunteers planted more than 650 new plants, including undergrowth like Oregon grape and ferns, along with more trees including cedars. All the native plants going into the ground are immune to the root rot.
鈥淚t will be a forest again,鈥� said Miller.
Members of the Lower Mainland Green Team were out helping to organize the planting, along with 91原创 City councillors and local residents.
Pancakes were served for brunch by members of the 91原创 Youth Committee, and doughnuts were for sale as a fundraiser for Youth Week activities.
