Dera editor:

Further to The Lake Report’s Feb. 22 story, “Town’s restrictions on tree cuttings are unfair, councillors say,” this subject requires better thinking about than has been done to date by our town councillors.

There is a huge difference between trees on in-town house lots and many of the rural property lots. The latter might be an acre or more and contain a substantial number of trees.

In the case of my home, I have a line of mature old honey locust trees that shed their pods each year, requiring lawn raking numerous times since the pods cannot be left to ruin the cutting blades of lawn tractors.

At age 83, such raking is problematic and I cannot afford to hire people to do this.

As well, my property has numerous mature maples, which also shed various seed pods and large numbers of leaves. There is no way I can rake and package these to be taken away for composting.

On top of that, as my huge honey locusts near the end of their natural lifespan, they pose an imminent threat to my house.

Already huge dead branches from them fall to the ground and it is only a matter of time before the house is hit. This would cause serious damage and is a risk to my personal safety.

So what are my options?

If I cannot get a permit to cut trees on my own rural property, can I sue the town for refusing such a permit if a falling tree or part thereof damages my house or indeed hurts a person?

Or, do I have to pay a tree removal company literally thousands of dollars to “shave” down my trees so the danger is lessened?

Perhaps members of town council can drop by my house and see the reality of real old trees and the potential for catastrophe if they are not trimmed or cut down when they come close to the end of their natural lifespan.

Kaspar Pold
NOTL