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Page - - Mississauga News, Nov. 5/97 Woodlots endangered species
Fencing may protect parks In an attempt to protect natural areas and local woodlots from overuse and damage, Mississauga is adopting a new policy to fence natural area boundaries. "I hope we can find the money to fence some of these woodlots," Ward 9 Councillor Pat Saito told a recent council meeting. "According to UFMAC (Urban Forest Management Advisory Committee), a lot of these areas, such as the Windwood woodlot in my ward, are in serious danger if we don't take action very quickly." While they were discussing the proposal to fence natural areas, councillors also proposed -- and later approved -- a change in policy that could see most parkland fenced eventually. Commissioner of Community Services Paul Mitcham told council that the fencing would. be required as a condition of new parkland and open space development. Mitcham raised a couple of potential concerns about the revised policy, however, including the Potential "significant" cost of future maintenance of the 1.5 m. (five ft.) chain link fences. Saito said she's been insisting on fencing of parkland surrounding parks As a condition of development for some time in her ward. "It's been working well," she said. Where rear or side yards of houses are adjacent to parkland, there are often problems with dumping on public lands. People also use them for storage, for their compost piles or as play area extensions of their existing yards. A report to council said unfettered access to some natural areas can cause soil compaction and denegration of natural areas. Ward 6 Councillor David Culham suggested the, City consider making the maintenance of new fences the responsibility of homeowners, an idea that will be reviewed when the changes in the policy on fencing are redrafted by staff. PHOTO; Of Culham CAPTION; CULHAM
[COMMENTS BY DON B. - ]
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