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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, April 25, 2013 | 4 Tree removal necessary to ensure public safety continued from p.1 with the invasive Emerald Ash Borer and as such are dead or dying. The metallic green-coloured beetle destroys an ash tree's vascular system by tunnelling under the bark killing the tree within years. Once the tree begins to die, McNeil said it is a threat to public safety and must be removed. "We've got more than 1,000 kilometres of trails running through these parklands. Once the trees become infested, they die and they become brittle and, like any brittle tree, they would be prone to snap in the wind like we had on the weekend," said McNeil. "To avoid that ,we are proactively going in and harvesting all the infested dead and dying ash trees within a tree length of a trail or a rear yard so that we don't get a phone call saying `Your ash tree is in our pool.'" As falling branches could also injure runners and nature lovers, McNeil said, the alternative to removing the ash trees would be to close the woodlots to the public for the better part of a decade while the trees fall on their own. According to the Town, McCraney Park has approximately 1,853 ash trees. Of this number, McNeil confirmed 70-80 per cent need to be removed for public safety. McNeil also cautioned residents should brace themselves for similar scenes to be played out SAvIN SAvINGS Sofa SPRINg The scene at McCraney Valley Park. photo by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) $ 31199 Save $208 5 Piece Living Room Includes sofa, loveseat, cocktail table and 2 end tables. $ 80998 $ Save $540 0000 40 48 FINANCING FoR MoNtHS* FREE up to oR SELECtED BEDRooMS, DINING RooMS, upHoLStERY, LEAtHER & MotIoN SEtS** % oFF across Oakville. The Town has already been actively removing dead and dying ash trees from Cornwall Road Sports Park, Morrison Valley South, Oakville Woods, Perkin's Passage, Sheridan Valley Park, Sheridan Valley Park 2, Winston Woods and Woodgate Woods. In total, however, Oakville has 280 woodlot parks, covering 848 hectares and containing around 44,000 ash trees. It is not clear exactly how many of the ash trees will have to be removed. "For those residents who are upset about McCraney, it's hitting home the (size) of the problem of the Emerald Ash Borer and why it is on Times Top 10 list of natural invasive disasters facing North America and why EAB is projected to cost Canadians and Americans billions of dollars over the next decade," he said. McNeil pointed out Oakville is recognized as a municipal leader when it comes to EAB management with one of the most aggressive ash treatment programs in Canada. In September 2012, Town staff had treated 3,000 municipal ash trees during the summer with the biological insecticide TreeAzin to protect them against the insect. That meant the Town had treated 5,700 or 75 per cent of public ash trees. With most of Oakville's estimated 180,000 ash trees on private property the Town continues to call on residents to hire certified service providers to treat their own trees. McNeil pointed out that while municipal street and park trees received the TreeAzin treatments, the 44,000 trees in the Town's woodlots, like those in McCraney Valley Park, did not. Town staff said treating these trees would have been too expensive and treatments were found not to be as effective. Not everyone is happy, though. "The policy is ridiculous. The idea is they are taking down the trees because they may fall," said Snelgrove. "The problem with that way of thinking is that every single tree that exists and has ever existed is going to fall at some point. So with that rationalization we should be cutting down every single tree. A dead tree can stand for 50 or 100 years." Snelgrove also takes issue with the fact that the Town receives money for the chopped trees. McNeil said wood that is of an appropriate size is being transported to mills in regulated areas and sold, however, the revenue from these sales is small and does not come close to covering the cost of the actual removal. He also pointed out removing dead and dying trees will allow new trees to grow faster. Karen Brock, president of Oakvillegreen Conservation Association, said the tree removal is a sad reality and drives home the need for biodiversity in Oakville's forests. "I do understand the issue of safety. There are so many trails and a lot of people use the trails for dog walking and running," said Brock. "This really is a wake-up call that we have to stop cutting down the trees that are living and start working really hard to get communities and businesses and people in their own backyards planting more trees." McNeil said forest regeneration work would be undertaken in the McCraney area. For details on upcoming Oakvillegreen treeplanting events, visit www.oakvillegreen.org. The Oakville Wind Orchestra $ 147746 Save $492 5 Piece Dining Room Includes rectangular extension table and 4 side chairs. $ 25799 Save $172 Queen Platform Style Bed Includes headboard, footboard and rails. 5 Piece Bedroom Includes queen platform style bed, dresser and mirror. and special guest the Regimental Pipes and Drums Of the Queen's York Rangers presents with Musical Director Chris Arthurs $ 61797 Save $412 Mississauga 4561 Hurontario Street, Unit #2 South East Corner of Hwy #10 & Eglinton (905) 755-9030 · (877) 784-4404 Monday to Friday 10am to 9pm Saturday 10am to 6pm Sunday Noon to 5pm Stoney Creek 410 Lewis Road and the South Service Road Located in Stoney Creek Decor Centre next to Stoney Creek Furniture (905) 643-4646 · (866) 693-4646 Monday to Friday 10am to 9pm Saturday 10am to 5:30pm Sunday Noon to 5pm Woodbridge 7979 Weston Road Located North of Highway 7 (647) 427-3900 · (877) 341-9260 Monday to Friday 10am to 9pm Saturday 10am to 6pm Sunday Noon to 5pm Sunday, May 5, 2013 - 2 p.m. Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts Tickets: $20 available at the box office or at www.oakvillecentre.ca follow us on Twitter @owo1866 *On approved credit. Processing fee $89.95 and minimum purchase of $1999 is required. A $21 annual membership fee may be charged to your Account subject to certain conditions. Financing provided by CitiFinancial Canada, Inc. and is subject to all the terms and conditions in your cardholder agreement and the credit promotional plan disclosure statement (collectively the "Account Agreement"). Finance Charges will not accrue on the purchase during the credit promotional period of 48 month if the required minimum payment is made each billing cycle during the credit promotional period when due. The purchase price is divided by the number of months in the credit promotional period to determine equal monthly payments to be made during the credit promotional period. The terms of the credit promotional plan will terminate if you default under your Account Agreement. On termination or expiry of the credit promotional plan (or for purchases that are not part of the credit promotional plan), the standard APR of 29.99% and the terms of the regular credit plan will apply to all outstanding balances owing. This offer is valid up to and including promotion end date, cannot be used for previous purchases and cannot be combined with any other offers, promotions or special incentive programs. Certain terms and conditions apply. See store and Account Agreement for further information. **Previous purchases excluded. Cannot be combined with any other promotion or discount. Discount offers exclude Stearns & Foster®, Sealy, Serta & Ashley Sleep, floor models and clearance items, sales tax, furniture protection plans, warranty, delivery or service charge. We reserve the right to correct any such errors. A deposit equal to Sales Tax and delivery charges is required for all financed purchases and is not eligible for this credit promotion. 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