[CANUFNET] Looking for tree/green advocates around Goderich, Ontario

[Boysen, Barb (MNRF)]

On this week's Monday CBC Radio 1 afternoon gardening call in show, Ed Lawrence spoke very passionately about the need for every level of governance to recognize and plan for good tree cover and health; this in response to thousands more Ottawa ash trees to be cut in the wake of EAB.  He also called for every person to plant a tree for themselves and on behalf of their loved ones – this year.  He did focus on the need for species diversity and native species.  And as I listened to it, I kept thinking – ‘and good, locally adapted stock, and good sites, and good planting and good tending!’ We have to recognize that even in the best of situations and with the best of motives it is still hard work to get it right.  The average tree planter needs help.

Re this Goderich issue, if the trees have to come down (?) hopefully a voluntary compensation effort can be made.

Also re local governance responsibility, increasingly in most urban areas they are allowing trees to come down. But even worse is the 'permanent' loss of tree ‘habitat’, the rooting area that sustains a large tree, without the creation or restoration of local places for future trees.  It is getting so bad, that even where they do plan for compensating projects it is very hard to find a good place to establish trees that will do more than suffer for 20 years.

Perhaps someone has a contact for Ed and can bring him in on this issue.

My 2 cents

Wishing you good luck!

Barb Boysen


________________________________
From: CANUFNET [canufnet-bounces at list.web.net] on behalf of stephen at ufora.ca [stephen at ufora.ca]
Sent: 17 December 2014 17:27
To: Canadian Urban Forest Network
Subject: Re: [CANUFNET] Looking for tree/green advocates around Goderich, Ontario

And a place to pile the snow. Standard requirement of X parking spaces for every so many units.

Stephen Smith
ISA Certified Arborist, Urban Forester
Urban Forest Associates Inc.

From: Ward29 Trees<mailto:moretrees29 at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2014 4:51 PM
To: canufnet at list.web.net<mailto:canufnet at list.web.net>
Subject: [CANUFNET] Looking for tree/green advocates around Goderich, Ontario

I recently met a designer who is working on a small development project in Goderich. She is frustrated because local authorities insist she include 5 new parking spaces, requiring removal of trees and paving of currently permeable surface. Apparently that is far more parking capacity than the owner or tenants require. (She is converting a historic building into 3 units, 2 of which will be rented by seniors. The owners, who will live in the 3rd unit, want to grow edibles exactly where the Town wants them to build parking spots.)

I suggested that this lady try contacting the local conservation authority for support, as they should care about stormwater management. I also directed her to the website for Goderich Trees, a group that (ironically) came together to restore tree canopy after a bad tornado. Any other ideas?

I suspect the town's love of private parking spaces is related to their bylaw that prohibits on-street parking in winter.

Leigh Davidson
Volunteer co-chair, MoreTrees29 [Toronto]
Web MoreTrees29.com<http://MoreTrees29.com>