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Climate Action Plan

April 21, 2022   ·   0 Comments

Sir:

A friend advised me to examine the status of the Dufferin County Climate Action Plan.  I discovered that the plan has been approved and a year’s “work” has already been completed.
Among other achievements, Dufferin County has completed “natural asset” and “alternative fuel sources” inventories. The county is now planning to “amend the landscape regulations in both Zoning and Subdivision laws” and “develop municipal natural asset management plans based on inventory.”
Of most concern to me, who hand-planted my 48 acres entirely in trees, are: “adopt both a private and heritage tree protection by-law” and “ensure tree planting requirements are executed through new construction.”
In 2013, after five years of study, Dufferin County Council revoked the existing tree-cutting by-law. The main reason why the by-law was revoked was because it did not apply to urban properties and was therefore unfair.
However, no one had ever been charged under the by-law, Ontario Hydro was legally permitted to cut down my Black walnut trees with neither my or county permission and the by-law did not prevent removal of all trees in a 2,500-acre area of Melancthon Township.  There were sixteen by-law exemptions in all.
I see no reason why there should be a new tree-cutting by-law. The previous by-law required me to obtain permission from Councillor John Oosterhof to thin, or to remove diseased trees, for forest improvement, demanded a fee whether approval was granted or not, and did not guarantee approval if all by-law requirements were met.  (Mr Oosterhof wanted “flexibility, in case.”)
The Council is aware of my arguments against any “climate change” activities, as they each received my printed comments. But apparently the world climate is officially affected by human emissions; so we must all do our part to sequester carbon.
I sequester about 24 tonnes of carbon a year in my trees, and have no intention to destroy them under present regulations.  But I ask that the county will give me a year’s notice before approving any by-laws that will limit my scope of farm activity.

Charles Hooker

East Garafraxa

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