Trees, shrubs, and grass form the ‘green infrastructure’ that create the parks and open spaces, gardens, lawns, shaded avenues, forests and green corridors of Coquitlam.  This infrastructure, to a large extent, dictates the appearance and habitat capacity of the community. The landscape resource is a valuable - and sometimes overlooked - asset that provides important environmental, aesthetic, psychological, and recreational services. 

However, if Coquitlam is like most cities in North America it has seen – and will continue to experience – a decline in the quality of its landscape resource – particularly in the loss of large trees. 

The City realizes the importance of this asset, has recognized that without a landscape strategy, the resource will continue to decline in the face of increased development pressure. The outcome of such a strategy will significantly influence the aesthetic quality and environmental viability of the City of Coquitlam.

Phase I of the Comprehensive Landscape Strategy (CLS) sets the stage for the preparation of the Comprehensive Landscape Strategy. Phase I involved:

1. Analysis of the existing landscape resource, including the tree, shrub and grass cover, tree density, species composition, spatial pattern and density across the City and within the four planning regions;
2. Assessment of the costs and benefits of the various functions provided by the landscape;
3. Comparison of the landscape resource management policies and practices in Coquitlam and other jurisdictions;
4. A critical examination of existing policy and management tools and identification of opportunities and challenges;
5. An identification of future trends, and options; and
6. Recommendations.