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Niagara Parks cutting down dead trees, replanting

Niagara Parks will be cutting down dead oak trees in Paradise Grove, an area bordering the recreational trail at the north end of the Niagara Parkway.
Niagara Parks will be cutting down dead oak trees in Paradise Grove, an area bordering the recreational trail at the north end of the Niagara Parkway. (Niagara Parks)

Niagara Parks has identified about 30 dead oak trees in the Paradise Grove area on the north Niagara Parkway.

Paradise Grove is representative of a remnant black oak savannah, which is one of the rarest habitat types in Ontario, says a recent press release from Niagara Parks.

The dead oak trees, located near the Parkway and the Niagara River Recreation Trail, pose a safety risk to visitors if left standing, the release says. “This is the only reason for their removal. As a result, the Niagara Parks forestry team will be removing the identified trees beginning the week of July 25. Temporary disruptions to traffic, which will be signed, may be required on the Niagara
Parkway during the felling operations.”

Before removing the trees, the team will inspect them to ensure that there is no wildlife nesting in the impacted trees. In addition, the trees will be harvested for their wood and re-purposed in the future for uses such as public park benches.

Through the Niagara Parks Foundation and its priority of tree planting on Niagara Parks property, Miller Waste Systems has donated $10,000 to cover the cost of planting 150 new trees at Paradise Grove, representing a five-to-one replacement ratio.

“Our company is proud to support this tree planting initiative, which is in lock-step with our organization’s values,” says Miller Waste Systems President Denis Goulet. 

“Our staff live and work in this community and we appreciate the environmental stewardship of Niagara Parks to preserve and protect the natural features along the Niagara River corridor.”

Niagara Parks will plant a variety of native tree species this fall, during cooler weather. The trees will range in size, of mostly oak, but also maple and sassafras, to ensure a diversity of tree species grow in the future in this area. Before planting, staff will undertake testing to understand soil conditions including nutrient levels, salinity, compaction, and change in moisture levels. The planting will take place this fall during cooler weather.

A diverse forest canopy is resilient to future threats such as invasive species and a changing climate. For more information about this tree-planting initiative, visit the Foundation website: www.niagaraparks
foundation.com.