The Rural Voice, 1988-06, Page 62FORESTS
Lilian Schaer, a Grade 7 student
at Durham District Community School,
is the first prize winner of an editorial
contest sponsored in the Grey -Bruce
area by the Ministry of Natural
Resources.
Julie Kus, a Grade 8 student at St.
Anthony's School in Kincardine, and
Jeremy Rancourt, a Grade 8 student
at St. Joseph's School in Port Elgin,
placed second and third respectively.
The contest, held in honour of
National Forest Week in May, was
open to Grade 7 and 8 students in
Grey and Bruce counties. Students
entered editorials on the theme
"Forests ... A Shared Resource."
According to Forest Management
Supervisor John Lambie, the contest
encourages students to learn more
about our forests and why it is so
important to manage them wisely, now
and in the future. First, second, and
third -prize winners were presented
with $100, $75 and $50 respectively.
St. Anthony's School in Kincardine
took the award for best combined
submissions for a school.
Following is the first -prize editorial.
by Lilian Schaer
Pollution, Acid Rain, Bugs, Fire,
Human Beings — Will they succeed
in killing off our forests?
Forests have almost always been a
part of nature. Since the beginning of
the time animals and humans have
shared the forest for homes, food, a
place for work, relaxation and enjoy-
ment. We have taken much from the
forest, yet what we have retumed isn't
always good, and it's hardly enough.
We depend upon the forest for many
things — paper, firewood, lumber
with which to build our homes,
schools and workplaces.
When we were born we most
likely spent our first year or so in a
wooden cradle. And most likely,
when we die, we will go underground
in a wooden pine box. Throughout
our lives, our beds, chairs, tables,
closets, and window frames are
probably made out of wood. This
would not be without the forest.
For thousands of years we have
depended upon the forest for our live-
II II I
Lilian Schaer with Al Ritchie, principal of Durham District Community School, left, and
Ralph Tippett, district manager of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Owen Sound.
A Shared Resource
lihood. Each year thousands of acres
of valuable forests in Ontario are de-
stroyed by fire, some started by care-
less campers. Ontario forests are wea-
kened by acid rain, which gives the
bugs a lot better chance to weaken the
trees further. Huge spray programs
are needed to prevent even more de-
struction. Our ever -hungry paper and
lumber industries bite another huge
chunk out of the forest every year. If
this continues for several decades, will
the forest still be able to fulfil its very
important functions?
Forests, known as the "World's
Lungs," are there to replenish the
supply of oxygen in the air and to
regulate the natural cycle of water.
The forests in Grey and Bruce
counties are a fact of great value and
pride to the people that live around
them and own them. The forests have
a lot of benefits for the Grey -Bruce
area. There is the maple -syrup indus-
try, the logging and firewood, and of
course the esthetic value. Bus compa-
nies from the cities make special tours
for people to enjoy the beauty and
quiet of the forest, especially in the
autumn. Nature trails and parks also
play a big part in tourism in Grey and
Bruce. When cattle and grain prices
fall, farmers here can always reach
back to their forest and sell parts of it
for timber or firewood. Without the
forest, the Grey -Bruce area wouldn't
be half of what it is today.
Mismanagement of our forest can
have a severe impact on our environ-
ment and we should be aware of the
fact that trees grow very slowly and
that we should be careful of the quan-
tity of trees we are cutting down every
year. If we clean up our act, and start
using our forest resources more care-
fully, our forests can be saved. We
will have forest resources to be proud
of for generations to come. With care-
ful planning and wise management our
forests will survive. Without it, they
won't, and the forests we have been
sharing for centuries will be gone.0
60 THE RURAL VOICE