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How much human traffic can a woodlot take?
That's one of the key questions the City of Mississauga faces in developing a comprehensive' policy to manage its many woodlots. At a meeting last week, city councillors expressed concerns that the woodlot management policy being developed may be too heavily influenced by the experience of the Cawthra Bush. The policy is being developed by a group of politicians, staff and expert citizen members in the wake of public controversy about the City's culling of trees in the Cawthra woodlot. That was compounded by the construction of a huge watermain through the woodlot, which caused removal of another 400 trees. In a report this week, the urban forest commit- tee set out a series of guiding principles for overall woodland management. The recommendations calls for policies to sustain forest environments, monitor their health, promote native species, foster public stewardship and provide passive uses and educational opportunities while preventing over use. Several councillors wondered if the Cawthra woodlot, which is much larger and more diverse woodlot than most in the municipality, is the appropriate model for an woodlot management.

"There are many other woodlots we'd like to preserve in other ways," said Community Services Commissioner Paul Mitcham. "One of the first things we have to establish is, when is a woodlot at capacity? Councillor Pat Mullin said she was shocked on a recent tour to see the poor condition of one of the City's woodlots, which obviously have been neglected for some time.

Mayor Hazel McCallion questioned the appearance of the Cawthra woodlot. Driving past it, you can see many trees leaning over in an unsightly manner. "It looks like we're not maintaining it," McCallion said. Councillor Carmen Corbasson, a member of the urban forest committee, said the mayor's remark highlights a key issue to be decided: "Do we leave it (the woodlot) natural or make it look pretty?" Corbasson said a recommendation on what to do with the Cawthra culling program, which was abandoned in mid-stage following public protests, should be made by the committee soon.

PHOTO; portrait of the Ward 1 Councillor.

CAPTION; CORBASSON

Hazel displays the kind of dinosaur thinking that has lead the human race into its current environmental disaster. Carmen is little better, she is on the UFMAC (committee) and why doesn't she use terms like ecosystem? It makes you wonder what Councillors actually learn from the committees they sit on. ]

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