Now that the dust has settled a bit about the maple tree, let’s try to gain some perspective.
This was indeed an important legacy tree; losing it makes Duncan less unique. However over the last 30 years or so Vancouver Islanders have witnessed the virtual extinction of the ancient rainforest. Log by log, some 1,000 years old, the individual trees have been cut for profit, and their supporting ecosystems changed forever.
The Association of B.C. Municipalities have requested a moratorium on the removal of old growth forest so towns like Port Renfrew have a future in tourism. So far this has not happened. If people are willing to protest in a parking lot, then consider making this an issue in the next election.