gŏđŏ
editionap.ca
More old trees down in Russell
ance plan to clear the lines of roots…every couple or few years.” The sewer line was replaced. Saucier believes the school board should have planned to clear the line in future, rather than destroy trees. Beauchamp said Silver Maples are not good choices for urban planning because
CANDICE VETTER candice.vetter@eap.on.ca
RUSSELL l The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) cut down two large Silver Maples beside Russell Public School, over the objections of local en- vironmental activist and part-time UCDSB employee Cindy Saucier, who unsuccess- fully lobbied to preserve the trees. , “The trees were removed because their root systems were creating blockages in the waste water pipes underground from the school,” said UCDSB media spokes- person Terry Simzer. “Also, some large limbs on the trees were decaying, thereby creat- ing a safety issue.” Saucier contends the limbs could have been trimmed and the tree roots cleared periodically, rather than cutting down the 85-year-old trees which provided much- needed shade for the kindergarten play yard and north end of the school building. She brought in a forester and an arborist to look at the trees. “I don’t believed they were diseased,” said Marcel Beauchamp, former foreman of the Arboretum at the Central Experimental Farm. “Once their roots have penetrated sewer lines, the lines need to be replaced or repaired, or have an ongoing mainten-
Photo Candice Vetter
their brittle wood can drop branches in high winds, and their aggressive roots seek moisture. He advises that using more suit- able species such as Sugar Maple needs to be part of plans for any new development project. This tree stump is what’s left of an 85-year-old Silver Maple at Russell Pub- lic School. It and another nearby were cut down on orders from the Upper Canada District School Board.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker