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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-CA link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Please see the following posting sent the Ontario Urban Forest Council<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US><br>Saving Canada’s Urban Forests: Help Protect A Landmark Legal Victory for Mature, Healthy Trees <br></span></b><span lang=EN-US style='color:#212121'><br>Last summer, a Toronto resident sued her neighbors because they objected to her cutting down a beautiful, healthy, shared maple tree growing on the property line. Hilary and Stephen Scharper, both professors at the University of Toronto, were not consulted by their neighbor and expressed concern about the ecological impacts of felling healthy trees. They were shocked to learn that their situation was not unusual: every year in cities across Ontario, thousands of healthy, mature trees growing on property lines are arbitrarily cut down—often while neighbors are away on vacation or against their objections. <br> <br>Despite their efforts to avoid an expensive court case, the neighbor took them to court. The Scharpers retained Clayton Ruby and saved their maple tree. Their case also achieved a strong, unprecedented protection for <b>ALL shared trees</b> in Ontario. According to the landmark ruling by the Ontario Superior Court, it is now a criminal act to destroy a shared tree without the consent of a co-owner. Prior to this ruling, thousands of mature trees were arbitrarily cut down by one owner, leaving the other owner with little recourse and generating very harmful impacts on the shrinking urban canopies of many cities.<br> <br>The Scharpers’s neighbor has recently filed an Appeal to overturn the Ruling. A reversal of the Ruling would be devastating for mature, healthy trees, but support of the Ruling at the Appeal level would create an <b>even stronger</b> legal precedent for trees not only in Ontario, but also <b>Canada as a whole</b>. The Scharpers have spent tens of thousands of dollars of their own money in court fees. They are flat out of money and are asking for help to defend this unprecedented Pro-Tree Ruling.<br> <br><b>Please help them raise $35,000 to pay for the legal costs of fighting the Appeal. </b>The Ruling is so important for trees in Ontario and Canada, and will impact the future and health of Canadians for generations to come.<br><b><br>$35,000 is:</b> <br><b>350 tree supporters giving $100. . .700 tree supporters $50. . .1400 tree supporters giving $25. . .<br> <br>Donations can be made at:<br></b><a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-protect-a-landmark-legal-victory-for-trees-in-canada/x/3738849">http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-protect-a-landmark-legal-victory-for-trees-in-canada/x/3738849</a><br> <br>or by contacting Hilary Scharper: <a href="hilary.scharper@gmail.com">hilary.scharper@gmail.com</a><br> <br><b>Thank you for your help! Please share this link with your networks.<br></b><br><b>For more information on the Scharpers’s case see the Globe and Mail article:<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='color:#0021D4'><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/one-tree-two-neighbours-and-a-changed-legal-landscape/article12698935/">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/one-tree-two-neighbours-and-a-changed-legal-landscape/article12698935/</a></span><span lang=EN-US> <<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/one-tree-two-neighbours-and-a-changed-legal-landscape/article12698935/">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/one-tree-two-neighbours-and-a-changed-legal-landscape/article12698935/</a>> <span style='color:#212121'> <br></span></span><span lang=EN-US><br><br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>