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CEA in the News |
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Death of neglected young trees at airport triggers anger Dave Battagello, Windsor Star Several members of the city’s environmental committee are up in arms after learning a designated green space on eight acres of land of Windsor’s airport that was recipient of hundreds of donated trees and shrubs was blocked off from being cared for and nearly all the young plantings died. Members of the city-county environment committee are upset that thousands of newly planted trees and shrubs at Windsor International Airport were left to die because access was not granted to care for them. Airport officials and city council agreed in March 2013 to allow the Essex Region Conservation Authority to access eight acres in a far east corner of the airport property for the major planting that was designed to join two woodlots. Planting day took place two months later and involved community volunteers, plus several local school children who assisted in the effort. There were up to 5,000 trees and plants put in place, according to ERCA. “It meant a lot to me, you were filling in the gap between two woodlots,” said outgoing Ward 9 Coun. Hilary Payne, who represents the area that includes the airport and was present when planting day took place. “We are already known for having too little forest cover. It was quite a big planting and now it’s all gone. It’s been wiped out. The trees have died. Airport management stopped ERCA from going in. To me, it’s scandalous. What a waste.” The trees and shrubbery under the $30,000 project were obtained by ERCA in large part through a grant from Trees Ontario. The effort was backed by the Little River Enhancement Group and Detroit River Canadian Cleanup group since it was part of the Little River improvement efforts. After the planting occurred in early 2015 ERCA started being blocked from visiting and maintaining the site by airport management, according to Kevin Money, ERCA’s director of conservation services. “We were told that we were not allowed to enter airport lands due to safety factors,” he said. “We had communication back and forth requesting access, but that was never granted. We never saw the site again.” ERCA is “disappointed we were not allowed to further the restoration project,” Money said. “Overall, ERCA and Windsor are great partners,” he said. “In this case, things didn’t end positively. We continue to look for ways to work with the city and do good work.” The issue of what transpired was brought in front of the Windsor Essex County Environment Committee during its meeting last week. It was deferred so the committee can get more complete information on what transpired. It is anticipated the issue will not return in front of WECEC until early next year given that a new four-year term of city council began on Monday and with the changeover that will also mean changes to WECEC’s committee members. The airport’s director of operations Steve Tuffin said Monday that following the planting, new management was put in place at the airport and a security review was undertaken. “We sat down, focused on safety and the elimination of risks,” he said. “A huge factor can be wildlife strikes (by planes) of birds and mammals. You have coyotes, deer and wild turkeys in these woodlots. We had a short spike of coyote and deer on the runways. “We were asked to monitor the woodlots and take notes. We looked at the area where the trees were planted and grasses. They were housing a lot of wild turkeys. When we walked through we could see not a lot of trees were left. Deer had been feeding on the seedlings and they were not in good shape.” After a report was presented to the airport’s board in early 2015, a motion was passed to not allow any more planting of trees on the property, Tuffin said. It was then ERCA was denied any further access to the property. There was never an agreement for airport staff — which is small — to maintain the planting site, Tuffin said. In late 2015, it was estimated there was only a 10 to 15 per cent survival rate of the trees that were planted, he said. In the spring of 2016 airport management decided to eliminate the trees and grasses and clear cut everything, Tuffin said. The eight acres was previously used as agricultural land and within months was converted back to that as a harvested bean field — which has since remained in place, he said. The current board and management “are not interested in planting any more trees at the airport,” Tuffin said. “With the woodlots we already have, we know what’s in there and can actively control that,” he said. “As director of operations I’m not comfortable in providing an added home for wildlife that would increase the danger (for planes).” Payne countered the planting was done at the direction of council and approval of the airport staff that (ERCA) could go in and maintain the trees. “(The planting day) was a very happy occasion to say the least,” he said. “You had school kids there, everybody helping plant these trees and then this happens. It’s just awful.” Another upset WECEC committee member is Derek Coronado, head of the Citizens Environment Alliance. “They refused access to ERCA to get on the site and it was not maintained,” he said. “I’d really like to hear some on the record justification why this happened. “You had a lot of volunteers involved, especially from the Little River and Detroit River cleanup groups. This is kind of a slap in the face. It’s clear there was a directive by council this was okay and there is even language in the airport’s master plan that this kind of activity take place.” The Detroit River Canadian Cleanup group is promoting a motion to be considered by WECEC at the next meeting that calls for the airport to “underwrite the $30,000 cost to replace the lost trees” and agree for ERCA to be permitted on the property as required to maintain newly planted trees. “This was a good project,” said Tom Henderson, chairman of the cleanup group’s public advisory council. “It was terrific for a lot of reasons. But then the airport refused to allow (ERCA) to do the required maintenance and maintain the trees. Now the project is done. We hope this gets considered at the next meeting, they pass it and eventually get this to council.” © Copyright (c) The Windsor Star |