Town encourages responsible woodlot management

As a way to encourage and facilitate responsible forestry practices in the community, the Town of Caledon continues to increase public awareness and education with two highly successful programs. Woodlot management workshops and the annual tree seedling program are effective complements to the Town's Woodlands Conservation Bylaw.

Now in its fourth year, the Town's tree seedling program provides an opportunity for residents to purchase suitable and affordable native tree stock to local landowners, and continues to grow in popularity. April 22, the Town distributed 13,000 tree seedlings to Caledon landowners. Since the program's inception in 2002 an estimated 62,000 trees have been planted - enough trees to completely cover 62 acres. Staff expect to increase the diversity of tree species offered in the 2006/2007 program.

Since 2003, Town staff and the Halton-Peel Woodlands Wildlife Stewardship Council (HPWWS) have held five woodlot management workshops. The objectives of the workshops were to convey the importance of long-term woodland viability, and to assist staff with the administration and enforcement of the Town's Woodlands Conservation Bylaw. Workshop topics have covered forest health, invasive plants and pests, woodlot health, and tree planting. A variety of experts have led discussions, including those from the private sector, Ministry of Natural Resources, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Forest Service, Toronto & Region Conservation Authority, and Credit Valley Conservation. The next workshop will be held Saturday, June 10 at the Caledon Community Complex in Caledon East. For more information or to be added to the invitation list, please send an e-mail to todd.smith@caledon.ca.

An Environmental Progress Action Plan was endorsed by council in June 2005. The plan identifies and prioritizes environmental initiatives the Town may consider pursuing to further enhance its commitment to preserving and enhancing Caledon's environment. Within the Air Quality Chapter, the plan highlights the building & bylaw enforcement department's tree seedling program and woodlot workshops as highly successful and current environmental initiatives.

In 50 years, a single tree can remove 30 tonnes of pollutants from the air. Based on the number of tree seedlings sold and planted between 2003 and 2005, approximately 650,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide has already been sequestered. In a lifetime, these trees will remove approximately 11,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (assuming an 80year tree life).