gŏđŏ editionap.ca “Urgent:” New forest conservation program
vide management advice. A multi-stake- holder forestry committee oversees forest programs and provides feedback from rural landowners and the forestry sector. Cute hazards
RICHARD MAHONEY richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
FINCH | As eastern Ontario’s forest cover continues to shrink, a new initiative has been launched to counter the effects of deforestation. Spurred by growing concerns about the widespread loss of trees, South Nation Conservation has set aside $150,000 this year to preserve forests in the South Na- tion River watershed. Priority will be given to the acquisition of environmentally sensitive tracts, such as wetlands and properties adjacent to streams, creeks and rivers, explains SNC team lead Jim Hendry. The conservation authority hopes that its $150,000 commit- ment will help leverage funds from other organizations to create a total budget of $300,000 for forest acquisition this year. “We are trying to get the best bang for your buck,” said Hendry, noting that public and political interest in tree conservation has been increasing in recent years. Ideally, 30 per cent of the countryside would be covered in trees. Below that level, wildlife, flora and the water table will be affected. It is estimated that forests ac- count for about 25 per cent of the land in Prescott-Russell, a situation that has been red-flagged in many quarters. Recent trends in extensive forest-cover loss aren’t going unnoticed by local resi- dents who are calling attention to the issue in newspapers, the SNC notes. “If left
Photo Richard Mahoney
Forest cover in eastern Ontario continues to retreat as a result of clear-cutting practices.
There are also tax advantages available for owners who give properties to the SNC. A legacy trust program is being intro- duced in 2014. “This will make it easier for ecological lands to be permanently protect- ed,” says Smirle. While tree-friendly municipal policies exist in southwestern Ontario, such regula- tions are rare in eastern Ontario. SNC has a long history of acquiring land and to date, owns 11,000 acres of mostly forest cover. In most cases, SNC is able to double funds for forest acquisition through partners. Acquiring priority forest tracts is one more tool SNC uses to create a “legacy of healthy forests.” Each year, SNC plants 100,000 trees and visits over 50 woodlot owners to pro-
unchecked, this downturn in forest cover will directly impact the natural benefits that the watershed depends on,” cautions the agency. “Our forests are being cut with an in- tensity that is permanently changing the countryside,” says SNC Chair Bill Smirle. “If we don’t take urgent action to save what’s left, the opportunity will be lost.” Hendry is already looking at two prop- erties in the watershed that may be pur- chased under the new program. Many forest owners are eager to support tree conservation, observes Hendry. The authority receives about 200 acres every year through land donations from families who want their forests protected beyond their lifetime.
Area police are warning motorists to be wary of four-legged furry hazards. More movement in the deer popula- tion results in the creatures being near and/or crossing roadways in rural ar- eas. During a recent three-day period, Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry Ontario Provincial Police officers investigated 11 collisions involving the animals, include six in Glengarry County. Fortunately, no injuries resulted from these incidents.
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