Where once were mature trees

This  Burlington Northern engine hauls its long string of freight cars along the beach in White Rock.

Until last year, a stand of mature trees stood between the roadway above and the railway below. It was home to bald eagles and many other birds.

For walkers, this grove was full of wildflowers, and it emitted a bouquet of fragrances from various native plants. The trees were not tall enough to screen the view from the new homes that stand above the naked bank, now shorn of all but a few roots and weeds. It's hard to see any justification for taking those trees down.