Jeanette Funke-Furber stood under the canopy of a massive Douglas fir near the entrance to Ten Mile Point and chatted with two cyclists.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just bringing them up to speed with the tree,B次元官网网址� Funke-Furber said.

The couple, clad in helmets and shades, hovered over their bike seats and listened to the 70-year-old Telegraph Bay road resident. Though interested in learning more about her plight to save the tree, the cyclists said they needed more information to be convinced, and they continued along their ride.

Beside the tree, a hand-lettered sign read: B次元官网网址淐elebrate the majestic life and mourn the tragic death of this ancient Douglas fir: POSTPONED.B次元官网网址�

The boulevard tree has fallen victim to a rot-causing fungus, phaeolus schweinitzii, and the Saanich parks department had deemed that it should be removed, given its size and location in an area prone to high winds.

Funke-Furber and a group of concerned residents then hired their own arborist to conduct an independent review of the health of the tree, a process that resulted in the same conclusion as SaanichB次元官网网址檚 testing.

On Monday Funke-Furber and a handful of members of the Cadboro Bay community were set to say their final goodbyes to the tree, which was scheduled to be cut down that afternoon. They had planned a ceremony that included a blessing from the Songhees Nation.

B次元官网网址淟ook at this beautiful tree,B次元官网网址� Funke-Furber said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been here for probably 300 years, before the white man came. Removing this tree should not be taken lightly and we wanted to celebrate its life. ItB次元官网网址檚 been a friend in this community for a long time. Hundreds of people have walked by the tree B次元官网网址� thousands.B次元官网网址�

Then later on Monday, the municipality allowed another concerned Cadboro Bay resident, Max Cowper-Smith, to seek out a third, in-depth assessment on the health of the tree and delayed the removal until that assessment is complete.

B次元官网网址淚t could be that Saanich is right and that this tree needs to come down,B次元官网网址� said Cowper-Smith, B次元官网网址渂ut there are a number of other tests and assessments that can be done that havenB次元官网网址檛 been done yet.B次元官网网址�

There is no deadline on when and if the tree will be removed, said Rae Roer, manager of Saanich parks.

B次元官网网址淚f it has to come down and itB次元官网网址檚 a complete danger, weB次元官网网址檒l have to accept that, but we want to make darn sure that itB次元官网网址檚 a danger,B次元官网网址� Funke-Furber said.

Since resistograph testing B次元官网网址� which measure the degree of tree rot at wall thickness B次元官网网址� was completed in June, the parks department removed one tree on municipal land at the site and modified another.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e waited this long (to remove it), weB次元官网网址檙e happy to wait another day or so,B次元官网网址� Roer said. B次元官网网址淲hat weB次元官网网址檙e trying to do is to balance the interest of the urban forest with the health and safety of the community.B次元官网网址�

nnorth@saanichnews.com