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Residents on Scenic Drive on the Hamilton mountain were up-in-arms today about dozens of trees coming down in their backyard.

Steve Fawcett called CHCH News furious about the trees coming down behind his home.

“We’ve been looking at this for 40 years. This beautiful forest and now look. They’re going to leave it like this? Why did they do this? They just raped and pillaged it.”

The property is privately owned by Valery homes including the woodlot. Before any work can begin, they have to get a permit. If they don’t, they’re in direct violation of the urban woodland conservation bylaw. It protects environmentally sensitive areas like this which is part of the Niagara escarpment.

“We have asked the tree company to stop cutting the trees down. At this point we will follow up with property owner.” Ann Lamanes, City of Hamilton.

Despite the city’s licensing department being on site, the trees kept coming down. Ward 8 councillor Terry Whitehead received dozens of calls from residents. He plans to take the issue to council to ensure all contracted tree removal companies have a city business license in the future.

Valery Homes would not comment on camera but said in an email they “initiated applications with the city under the existing tree bylaw application process with supporting studies which included tree inventory and vegetation management plans prepared by professional foresters and ecologists.”

But a permit was never officially issued. A violation like this could be costly but that’s cold comfort for Fawcett and his neighbours.

“It’s a mess. It’ll never come back. It’ll take 50 years for this to come back the way it was.”