Michael Feerer worries homes like those in Bellingham's heavily wooded Sudden Valley neighborhood could suddenly become a thing of the past.
"This is why we live here in western Washington," Feerer said. "We've got this wonderful tree canopy that's integrated with our homes."
Feerer, Executive Director of the Whatcom Million Trees Project, believes new state building codes aimed at making communities safer from wildfires will end up doing more harm than good. "This has been flying under the radar," Feerer said. "When I heard about it, I was just in shock because the widespread impact is enormous, over time."
The codes would eliminate most trees within 30 feet of a new home. Between 30 and 100 feet from a home, trees must be thinned to at least 10 feet apart.
This only applies to new construction, not current homes, but Feerer said the effect on the environment will be substantial.