HomeMy WebLinkAboutGoderich Signal Star, 2017-03-15, Page 1010 Signal Star • Wednesday, March 15, 2017
New incentives to plant
living snow fences
Justine Alkema
Postmedia Network
Living in Huron County
means dealing with blowing
snow during the winter.
However there is a way to
control blowing and drifting
snow from roadways and
that is through a Living
Snow Fence (LSF). A LSF is
trees, shrubs and native
grasses along a roadside to
act as a barrier and protect
the roads for safer driving.
While there have been vari-
ous programs before to
encourage landowners to
plant LSFs, as of late, there
is a brand new program
being introduced to ramp
up instalments.
The Ministry of Transpor-
tation (MTO) has been
working with the Maitland.
Valley and Ausable Bayfield
Conservation Authorities for
over a year, and just last
week that program was
made official. Funds are now
available to landowners to
install LSFs in priority areas
through the Huron County
Clean Water Project.
The County of Huron and
the MTO have identified key
areas where LSFs would be
a great benefit including
Highway 21 from Amberley
to Grand Bend, Highway 8
between Goderich and
Dublin and Highway 4
south of Clinton to the Kip -
pen area.
The Conservation Author-
ities will help to develop
plans, coordinate the LSF
planting and be the liaison
with partnering agencies.
They have the ability to
source out the maximum
funding to move projects
ahead. In many cases, 100%
funding is available as well
as other incentive payments
in areas where the loss of any
agricultural land is needed.
In Ontario, virtually all
snow drifting problem sites
have a common characteris-
tic - they are the downwind
of large, level open fields
with low or no ground cover.
Snow is most susceptible to
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drifting during the first three
days following a snowfall,
before the surface of the
snow forms a crust. In very
strong wind conditions the
accumulated snow particles
may be carried for hundreds
of meters, potentially caus-
ing white-out conditions.
Approximately 30% of the
plowing, salting and sanding
on MTO highways is the
result of blowing and drifting
snow.
LSF's offer multiple bene-
fits including reduced
annual road maintenance,
snow and dust containment,
wildlife and pollinator habi-
tat, travel time savings, and
cost effectiveness. When
roads close due to reduced
visibility and drifting, this
can cause a major economic
impact on the area.
If you have a property you
think would benefit from a
LSF, the Conservation
Authority is eagerly looking
to work with landowners on
this project and help access
any funds available.
Blowing snow against an LSF (Living Snow Fence).
A fledgling LSF planted on the side of the road.
Contributed photos
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