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<TITLE>Effect of Bentonite on Trees?</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Hello everyone,</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Does anyone have experience with the effect, if any, that bentonite has on nearby trees when this material is used as a lubricant/tunnel wall stabilizer during directional drilling (e.g. to install a watermain)? </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Alternately can you point me to any literature about bentonite and trees?</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I did a quick search and came up with conflicting info - on the one hand bentonite is said to be "okay" because it is all an natural clay, and even is used in soil amendments (not to mention the many beneficial health effects for humans). On the other hand its use is not permited within tree protection zones by some jurisdictions, and its sealing off/waterproofing properties sound like injecting a concrete sarcophagus around tree roots. One reference said it can be used as a root barrier around newly installed trees.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Any info appreciaited!</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Thanks,</FONT>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#008000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">C. Cat Cybulski, R.P.F., Certified Arborist | Area Forester, Natural Heritage & Forestry Services<BR>
</FONT></B><FONT COLOR="#008000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Environmental Promotion and Protection Branch | Environmental Services Department<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#808080" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The Regional Municipality of York | 17250 Yonge Street | Newmarket, ON | L3Y 6Z1 | 905-895-1200 ext. 5275 | 1-877-464-9675 ext. 5275 | Fax: 905-895-7735<BR>
</FONT><A HREF="http://www.york.ca/"><U></U><U><FONT COLOR="#808080" FACE="Times New Roman">www.york.ca</FONT></U></A><FONT COLOR="#808080" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"> |</FONT> <A HREF="mailto:cat.cybulski@york.ca"><U></U><U><FONT COLOR="#808080" FACE="Times New Roman">cat.cybulski@york.ca</FONT></U></A>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#008000" SIZE=2 FACE="Times New Roman">Please consider the environment before printing this email.</FONT>
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