Dear editor:

As reported in the March 13 edition of The Lake Report, the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has recently hired a climate change co-ordinator (“Meet Kassie Burns, the face of climate action in NOTL,” March 13).

Having just experienced several devastating and deadly wildfires that incinerated more than 16,000 homes near Los Angeles, it’s clear to me that climate change is real and not a figment of one’s imagination.

Hiring extra staff to an already burgeoning payroll in NOTL is poppycock at best. Climate change affects all the Niagara region. This position should be part of the Region of Niagara’s infrastructure and not a municipal responsibility.

Invasive trees and shrubs are found throughout all areas of Niagara and plants climatically and genetically determine whether they are found in Niagara-on-the-Lake or Ridgeway.

Regarding the invasive species management plan, the horse is already out of the barn.

Phragmites, European buckthorn, garlic mustard and purple loosestrife as well as other invasive plants are already found growing almost everywhere in Niagara-on-the-Lake. From my professional experience, there is no practical or inexpensive way of controlling these invasive plants.

I applaud the Niagara Parks Commission for conducting its yearly prescribed burn program as a pragmatic and historical way of controlling unwanted vegetation. It’s also good to see that steps have been taken to control garlic mustard, European buckthorn and purple loosestrife.

While this initiative shows good environmental stewardship, the horse is nearing the third-fourth mile pole. This horse will continue to gallop and these plants will continue to populate the Niagara Peninsula without question for a long, long time. The horse will never finish the race!

As for addressing the tree management plan for Niagara-on-the-Lake, I would like to see continued use of native trees and their cultivars. I would also like to see the selective use of non-native trees to be included in this plan. Kudos to the Niagara Region for a wonderful tree-planting list for streetscapes.

It’s unfortunate that most municipalities in Niagara have a very limited list of trees that are suitable for use for streetscape planting purposes. The tree management plan should be a tool that protects and maintains the plant before and after construction.

With the capable assistance of the urban forestry officer, who is already on staff and, incidentally, is well-qualified, supervision of the site by the town’s bylaw enforcement department during this process is of utmost importance.

It cannot be a hit-and-miss affair before, during and possibly after site construction.

I wish the climate change co-ordinator all possible success in preparing the invasive tree management plan as well as a tree management plan that is realistic, environmentally acceptable, practical and affordable for the benefit of our community.

As mentioned in the closing paragraph of the March 13 edition of The Lake Report, mention is made that “it will take time to show visible results.”

For your enlightenment and possible interest, the native honey locust tree (Gleditsia triacanthos), was originally given “Gleditsia” as the genus for this tree by Carl Linnaeus, the “Father of Botany” in 1753. It has four-inch to six-inch dagger-like thorns.

It wasn’t until 1949 that a thornless honey locust tree was found, propagated and introduced into the market by a nursery in Dayton, Ohio. Some 196 years later, Gleditsia t. inermis “Moraine,” the “Moraine” honey locust, came into existence. Incidentally, this nursery still exists today.

Hopefully, it won’t take this long to come up with an invasive species management plan as well as a tree management plan for Niagara-on-the-Lake.

John Morley
NOTL