The Rural Voice, 2001-05, Page 40Jt is a matter of
preserving the integrity
of the woodlots and
considering conservation
rather than just going in
and cutting.
These are some of the
ideas integrated into the
new Huron County tree
bylaw when it was time to
revamp and update the
original 1986 version.
"The old bylaw was
basically about protecting
an area of tree cover," said
Jim Ginn a member of the
Huron -Perth Chapter of
the Ontario Woodlot
Association. "With lumber
prices so high, people
were going in and
devastating lots."
Association chair Victor
Roland added that
anything that encourages
landowners to learn about
better woodlot
management is a positive.
"There are stipulations
included in the bylaw, but
this had to be done," he
said. Some landowners are
purposely not good
managers and others just
don't know. Some don't
even think about their
woodlots until they realize
it can be sold."
A strong supporter- of
"good. forestry practices"
for woodlots, Ginn said
the county has generally
done a good job in
rewriting the bylaw.
Though he notes there are
things the organization
would have liked to see
included, good manage-
ment practices are a very
subjective thing and it
would be difficult for the
county to put it in writing.
Roland agrees, saying
the bylaw is a step in the
right direction. "We have
to stop indiscriminate
cutting. We have to
address the problems of
the past."
In the bylaw, good
management practices are
defined as the use of
36 THE RURAL VOICE
The cutting edge
Huron County rewrites its tree bylaw to take
account of new realities
By Janice Becker
proper harvest techniques
for renewal and
maintenance appropriate
for the site. An effort
should be made to
minimize the impact on
the ecosystem, fish and
wildlife habitats, forest
productivity and
recreational activities and
the aesthetic value.
He also suggests the
new bylaw may be an
opportunity to educate
landowners about
management, through the
restrictive nature of the
policy.
"Woodlot owners need
to learn they don't need to
log the whole bush at one
time. (After selective
cutting), they need to stay
out for a while," he said.
Two issues Roland
points out are the
omission of a policy on
the practice of taking out
the best trees and leaving
the worst as well as
teaching owners that much
of the value of trees is
gained in the last few
years of a tree's life, after
it has reached maturity.
Well-managed woodlots
can also produce a better
return per acre than most
other crops, he said. "Over
a 10 -year time frame, the
return can be from $200 to
$400 per acre per year."
Roland said this can be
achieved with good
management, regular
checks and small cuttings
to allow undergrowth to
be rejuvenated.
While there is support
for the new bylaw, some
people strongly oppose to
the policy.
Alex Chisholm, a
member of the Woodlot
Association, a logger,
farmer and timber buyer
with numerous years of
experience in the industry,
said taxpayers need to
realize the unfairness of
the bylaw.
"Loggers and land-
owners are going to be
dragged through court
because of this bylaw," he
said.
Chisholm said there are
huge irregularities in the
bylaw. "A lot of
inexperienced people put
this together."
One aspect Chisholm
says it's unfair that land-
owners can't clear trees
from a fencerow without
replacing them in another
location. He does not
believe it is right that there
is no compensation for the
landowner.
The bylaw, however,
does not mention
fencerow cutting or tree
replacement. Sandra
Lawson, Huron County
engineer said fencerows
are not included in the tree
bylaw because they are
not considered woodlots.
Specific standards have
been set as to what
constitutes a woodlot. A
woodlot is an area of 400
trees per acre of any size;
300 trees per acre with a
diameter of at least two
inches; 200 trees per acre
of the diameter exceeds
4.75 inches and 100 trees
per acre if they measure
more than eight inches.
This does not pertain to
orchards or Christmas tree
plantations.
The only case where
replanting may be
required, according to
Lawson, is in the situation
where a minor exception
has been granted to allow
for the clearing of a field.
A condition of the
exception is that an equal
amount of woodland be
planted at another
location, either within the
municipality or county,
depending on individual
circumstances.
Lawson also indicated