The Rural Voice, 2003-04, Page 70PERTH
Tim Shute, R.R. #6, St. Marys, ON N4X 1C8 Ph: 519-229-6395 Fax 519-229-6690
PCFA Office 519-229-6430 Fax 519-229-6269 e-mail: perth@ofa.on.ca
CountyFederation o Agriculture NEWSLETTER ' The Rural Voice is provided to farmers
f 9 in Perth County by the PCFA.
Warning on Perth County Tree By-law
Excerpts from letter by Annabel)
Thomson, Warden, County of
Perth
It's time to raise the awareness of
woodland values in Perth County to
another level!
Although many Perth County
residents have an appreciation for
forests, far too many landowners still
possess a "pioneer" attitude toward
woodlands. This shows up
particularly when a farm property is
newly purchased and one of the first
tasks is to "straighten up" the field
edges, clean off the "scrub bush" for
cropping, or run a new tile line
through the "bush" corner to get a
better outlet for the adjacent field.
Unfortunately, woodlands pay the
price, and, with only seven percent of
the County occupied by woodlands,
we are already in serious trouble.
Although the Perth County Tree
By-law has been in effect for some
50 years, the importance of woodland
conservation has never been greater.
To reduce the loss of woodlands in
the county, in the past four years the
County of Perth has laid 32 charges,
with 24 of these for removal or
destruction of undersize trees by
Update on Bill 81 Meeting
Wednesday, April 9
Seaforth Community Centre - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 10
Milverton Community Centre - 8:00 p.m.
HCFA and PCFA will be hosting these
meetings to inform the rural community on the
most up-to-date information on Bill 81
PERTH COUNTY FEDERATION
OF AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
Thursday, April 24, 2003
Tradition Mutual Insurance Office
Sebringville 8:00 p.m.
EVERYONE WELCOME
66 THE RURAL VOICE
landowners and bulldozer operators
"cleaning up" the farm in some way.
The other eight charges related to
cutting of undersized trees in logging
operations. Individual fines imposed
by the court have ranged up to $5,000
along with court orders to replant
woodland areas removed. The
maximum fine is $20,000. Most
important, however, is the
educational value through these court
actions in minimizing the removal or
destruction of our other valuable
woodland areas in the future.
With a huge jump in farmland
values in Perth County in the past
few years, there is renewed pressure
to convert woodland into cropland,
and the County By-law is the only
reason this does not happen.
Woodlands still have critical value in
Perth County. High water quality in
streams is impossible without forest
cover. In Perth County, we can't
afford to lose any more woodland.
Further details and copies of Perth
County Tree By-law No. 2625 can be
obtained at the County Clerk -
Treasurer's Office, 1 Huron Street,
Stratford, Ontario.0
EfP COURSES
Completed and approved books are eligible for incentive
funding, OFA Well Project, and the Clean Water Project
A look at YOUR farm addressing surface
and ground water
Dates for the one -and -one -half-day courses are:
April 2/9 — Monkton
Pre -book your spot — Call Mary 393-6232
Water, Wells and Septic Systems
Where is it ... What is it ...
A Care and Maintenance Workshop
Tuesday, April 8, 2003
Sebringville Community Centre, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
The workshop will update private landowners with the info they
need to improve and protect their private water supply.
AGENDA INCLUDES:
• A watershed perspective on ground and surface water management
• Water Quality Testing and understanding your results
• Caring for wells and proper decommissioning of wells
• Septic Systems Installation and Maintenance
Sponsored by the Township of Perth East
The Township of Perth South
Perth County Federation of Agriculture
For more information contact Mary 393-6232