Dear Editor:
This is Earth Week, people. Some of us are unaware or just ignore the news of the catastrophic collapse of species. The common view is that it is happening somewhere else, like the Amazon Forests. No. Wilderness is here, next to us. The thickets, the brambles, the trees and dead snags serve as very important habitat to wildlife that is still left. Just as important as the Amazon Forest.
I am talking about the GRCA land and trails along Belwood Lake. A curious thing has been happening along the trail east and west of Wellington Road 26.
Trees and thickets have been disappearing at a fast rate over the past few months. Seems that the trees were guilty of blocking the views to the lake, from the mansions bordering on the trail.
A lovely bench was installed on the trail a few years ago. One could rest there on a hot summer day. Now the shade is gone. All the trees were cut down. There were Baltimore orioles and others nesting in these trees. Habitat destroyed.
As far as I know, GRCA is not handing out permits for clearing vegetation. The view from the trail to the houses sitting in vast expanse of weedless lawns is not very pretty.
I hope I am providing some food for sober thought here.
Basia Hanisz,
Belwood