Dear ReForest London Supporter,

Since it's beginning last year, ReForest London – with the help of volunteers like you – has planted over 3,500 native trees and shrubs in London. Adding together all the plantings our more than 20 sites amounts to about 6 hectares that have been naturalized. If we were able to sustain that effort over the next 40 years, we would not equal the loss of a single 6-hectare patch of woodland in terms of its net contribution to the environment over that same 40 year period.
 
Now, 600 hectares of London woodlands are at risk.

Coming before City Council this Monday is a proposed Official Plan amendment called “Woodland Threshold of Significance.” The proposal seeks to change the way the City judges the value of its woodlands with the goal of protecting more of them from being cleared for development. (The full proposal can be found here:
http://council.london.ca/Planning%20Committee%20Agendas/2006-09-11%20Agenda/1Item%2018.pdf)

London has a current “Woodland Threshold of Significance,” but recent history has shown that it is too difficult to achieve. The result is that many healthy, valuable woodlands do not qualify for this status, and are consequently being cleared for development. We need the proposed new "Woodland Threshold of Significance" to stop these losses.

The current threshold for significance is set as three criteria high, and the proposed change is to set it to one high, which is consistent with the provincial policy and with practices in other Ontario jurisdictions.
 
ReForest London is asking you to support this change in how woodlands are protected by contacting all four city Controllers and your two City Council members (contact info is at the bottom of this email), and by attending the City Council meeting on Monday, September 18 at 5:30 pm – and encouraging your friends to join you.

Dean Sheppard, an environmental consultant, member of the City's Environmental Planning Advisory Committee, and member of the ReForest London Management Committee, said this about the proposal: “This proposed policy change is the single most important policy factor affecting the future of London's forests and will directly affect the fate of over 600 hectares of existing woodland. (600 hectares is roughly equal to the area bounded by Hyde Park Road, Wonderland, Gainsborough and Fanshawe Park Rd). Without Council adoption of this proposal, that 600 hectares of existing woodland will not receive any level of environmental protection.” 

London's woodland cover is only at 7.8%. We can't afford to lose any more. We hope you can help by urging City Council to support this proposal.

Sincerely,

Julie Ryan and Bill DeYoung
ReForest London

Board of Control