Posted on August 19, 2009.
By ASHLEY HOUSE, Simcoe Reformer
The willow and cottonwood trees along the causeway out to Long Point will not be cut down, says the latest policy statement from the Long Point Causeway Improvement Project steering committee.
Rick Levick, co-ordinator of the project, said the committee wants to be “loud and clear” on the subject. The initial project did call for the cutting down of some of the picturesque trees to allot for a wider roadway and other safety improvements to the 3.5 km of road. But the group has responded to the public’s concerns.
“The (LPCIP) is committed to working with the community and Norfolk County to define a vision and comprehensive landscape plan that includes the retention of existing trees,” the policy reads.
“We feel this adjustment to the plan will still meet our goals,” Levick said.
The project calls for planting Carolinian species of trees, shrubs and plants.
“We have to start thinking now for when the trees die,” Levick said. “So, 50 years from now, people still drive under a canopy of trees when they drive down the causeway.”
The LPCIP hopes to reduce wildlife mortality on the road leading into Long Point by creating eco-passages, rehabilitating habitats and installing fences. They also want to make a safer road and capitalize on tourism opportunities by adding more wildlife viewing areas and adding a trail along the causeway.
A group of concerned citizens opposed the estimated $15 million project, saying it was unnecessary, will ruin the causeway’s landscape and hurt the taxpayer. In January, the group banded together and called themselves Friends of the Causeway, or FOCAS.
Since then, the LPCIP committee has sat down with representatives from FOCAS, on two occasions to discuss concerns and differing opinions of the LPCIP.
“There are some points that we have the potential for agreement, including the non-removal of trees,” said Stu Ross, spokesperson for FOCAS. “They’ve been receptive to the public’s concerns.”
But the group is still butting heads on if wildlife, especially reptile, mortality is an issue on the causeway.
FOCAS doesn’t think there’s a problem, while the LPCIP said it has the research to prove turtles and snakes are getting killed at an alarming rate because of the road running through their habitat.
“To be honest, we have a lot more expertise, research and been at this for a longer time,” Levick said.
FOCAS is also against the LPCIP’s vision for a walkway.
Levick said the vision is still conceptual but in theory it would be wide trail shared by pedestrians and bikers on the west side of the causeway, with a buffer of trees to ensure a safe distance from the road.
FOCAS is holding another public meeting this Saturday at the Port Rowan Community Centre at 10 a.m.
There, they will reveal their ideas on how best to implement a walking trail along the causeway as well as answer questions from the community.
Posted on August 19, 2009.
The London Free Press
August 14, 2009
SIMCOE — The willow and cottonwood trees along the causeway to Long Point will not be cut down, says the latest policy statement from the Long Point Causeway Improvement Project committee.
Co-ordinator Rick Levick said the committee wants to be “loud and clear.” The initial project called for cutting down some of the trees for a wider roadway and other safety improvements to the 3.5-kilometre road. But the group has responded to public concern about the plan.
“The (committee) is committed to working with the community and Norfolk County to define a vision and comprehensive landscape plan that includes the retention of existing trees,” the policy reads. “We feel this adjustment to the plan will still meet our goals,” Levick said.
The project calls for planting Carolinian species of trees, shrubs and plants. “We have to start thinking now for when the trees die,” Levick said.
“So, 50 years from now, people still drive under a canopy of trees when they drive down the causeway.”
The committee hopes to reduce wildlife mortality on the road by creating eco-passages, rehabilitating habitats and installing fences. The committee also wants to make a safer road and capitalize on tourism opportunities by adding more wildlife viewing areas and adding a trail along the causeway.
A group of concerned citizens has opposed the estimated $15-million project, saying it’s unnecessary, will ruin the causeway’s landscape and cost taxpayers.
Posted on August 18, 2009.
Here is a downloadable version of the PowerPoint presentation at the August 8, 2009 Open House for the Causeway Project. Dial-up users should be aware that this is a large file (45 MB) that will take some time to download.
Posted on August 10, 2009.
Port Rowan, August 10, 2009 — The Steering Committee of the Long Point Causeway Improvement Project (LPCIP) today announced a policy statement on preserving the Causeway’s existing willow and cottonwood trees and developing a comprehensive long term landscape plan that would include planting Carolinian species of trees, shrubs and plants along the 3.6 kilometre roadway.
The statement was issued in response to inaccurate information that the proposed Improvement Plan required the removal of all trees along the Causeway. However, the plan did recognize that some dead or damaged trees might have to be removed for public safety reasons or to allow for possible widening of the roadway’s narrow shoulders.
“We have always been committed to maintaining the natural rural quality of the Causeway and never intended to remove many, let alone all, of the existing trees,” said Paula Jongerden, chair of the LPCIP steering committee. “This inaccurate information has created a lot of speculation in the community and we want to make sure everyone understands our intentions concerning both the existing trees and any new plantings being considered.”
The policy statement was developed by the Steering Committee in consultation with the Long Point Region Conservation Authority and Norfolk County’s Forestry Division.
“The gateway to the unique natural environment of Long Point has been defined historically by the trees that line the Causeway.
The Long Point Causeway Improvement Project Committee is committed to working with the community and Norfolk County to define a vision and comprehensive landscape plan that includes the retention of existing trees.
And more importantly, identifies the resources required into the future to ensure appropriate maintenance, replacement, and additional planting of appropriate native Carolinian tree and shrub species, which benefits the Causeway structurally, and the marsh and bay ecosystems.
The Long Point Causeway Improvement Project Committee intends to utilize professionals in the field of arboriculture and landscape design to ensure this community vision can be successfully achieved.
Our collective effort will ensure that the resources we have inherited from our predecessors will be sustained as a legacy for future generations and the many visitors to Norfolk County who visit our community and the UNESCO Long Point World Biosphere Reserve.”
The LPCIP Committee recognizes and accepts that the policy of retaining all of the existing trees will alter or postpone some of the proposed improvements and is prepared to work with the community and appropriate experts to develop a landscape plan that enhances the attractiveness of the Causeway.
“This policy represents a win-win situation for those people who want to preserve the natural heritage of the Causeway and others who wish to see improvements that will make the roadway safer, more attractive and a real asset to this community,” said Jongerden.
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The Long Point Causeway Improvement Project is managed by a Steering Committee comprised of representatives from 17 government agencies and local organizations and several individuals well-known in the community. The Committee receives administrative and management support from the Long Point World Biosphere Reserve Foundation, which promotes research, monitoring, education and projects that support the goals of conservation and sustainable use in the Biosphere Reserve.
