The following email was sent to Rick Craven and the City Council and is the result of on an article appearing in Rick’s latest Newsletter:
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1112108879214&ca=628d090d-ade2-4b67-992d-2f0294264978
(This is one example of what we can do to ensure that our City mayor and Councillors are aware of the Forterra plan to deforest the land and we should all be asking for their support to ensure this does not happen. Please call, write and meet with our mayor and Councillors and express your concern about this issue.)
Congratulations Rick and thanks to IKEA and “Tree Canada” for the recent tree planting in Kerns Park where over 60 IKEA volunteers planted about 300 new trees in the Park. This is just one of the many initiatives that demonstrates how much the Burlington residents value their City and its green spaces!
As you are aware, there are many articles extolling the importance of trees since they are absolutely essential to our clean air, controlling noise, pollution, soil erosion, etc. Of course planting saplings and seedlings is just one of many essential environmental initiatives that are necessary to keep Burlington a pristine and healthy place to live, work, and play.
http://forestry.about.com/od/treephysiology/tp/tree_value.htm
With the phenomenal development that is taking place in Burlington, both in the downtown area and in other areas across the City, with the noticeable increase in traffic and its accompanying pollution and noise, and with the diminishing green space (which is making way for new developments) every tree we plant will eventually play an essential part in protecting our future and our children’s future.
BUT we also need to deal with ‘the here and now’
In the light of your support for the “Tree Canada” project I would also respectfully point out that just as important as the planting of trees (for the future generation) is the saving of those trees that have already been planted (for the current generation). Trees that were planted many, many years ago and have survived all the elements (both man-made and natural); trees that are now enormous contributors to our clean air, to our healthy lifestyle, and to our overall well-being.
The necessity of planting new trees and the great work the volunteer residents of Burlington are doing should not be underestimated but I am sure that you would also agree with me that it would be equally important to protect our current ‘assets’ – for example, the estimated 6,000 to 10,000 trees in North Aldershot / Tyandaga that are planned to be clear cut in the Fall of 2016 by the quarry owner Forterra (formerly Hanson Brick) would take many people many months to plant and it would take a lifetime for the planted saplings (if they survived all the elements) to reach the level of ‘giving’ that only a mature, established, and healthy tree can provide.
We need and welcome your support and the support of all the Council members in avoiding this needless deforestation.