​We must preserve our trees

To the Editor:

Oct. 1, I woke up to the loud noise of chainsaws which lasted all morning. The neighbours behind our house were having trees cut down. They were clearing their backyard by cutting down at least 12 healthy trees! It was explained to me that they want a garden. What a shame!

We live in a small forested area where deer and foxes live and travel through. There are numerous bird species nesting in these trees and the Bruce County birders like to visit our area for the birds they see here. If the forest becomes smaller, there will not be enough to sustain the wildlife. Also, the remaining trees will have a more difficult time withstanding the big winds that come, especially in the fall.

All residents in Kincardine and Huron-Kinloss need to appreciate the trees we still have, and that we need to keep all our remaining healthy ones. Planting little trees does not replace the big shade trees that have taken 60 years or more to grow. We are stewards of this land and need to protect our trees for future generations.

I can hardly believe the short-sightedness of many who think cutting one or more trees to get sun in their backyard or to plant a garden, justifies cutting these big, beautiful, healthy maples, oaks and other native trees.

Trees are needed for cooling the earth and for providing the air that we breathe. There is so little left of the huge forests that covered southern Ontario and Bruce County. I implore everyone here to preserve our trees. They, literally, let us live by providing oxygen and keeping the earth cool enough for us to survive.

Margaret Visser
Huron-Kinloss