Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority Forestry Technician, Donna Lacey, during the Fair Lake presentation at the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre January 12.

Hub Staff

Work to clear an estimated 500 infected Ash trees due to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) will soon take place around Southampton’s Fairy Lake. Contract tenders for the project will close January 16 and Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority Forestry Technician, Donna Lacey, will spearhead the project.

Lacey said during a public presentation at Bruce County Museum & Cultural Centre January 12, that 400 smaller trees, approximately 6” in diameter 4.5’ off the ground, will be removed around the museum-side of the lake, while 100 sawlog (large trees) will be removed between the hospital and Matheson Park. Eight homes surrounding the parkland, with Ash Trees on their ridges, will also be affected.

“It’s devastation, there’s no sugar coating that at all,” said Lacey. “In some areas right around the lakeshore, there are small ash trees so that’s going to lay empty. There are some saplings coming up so they’ll still be there, but that’s not the same appearance as an Ash tree.”

Lacey went on to say that the smaller trees will not impact the lands on Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre or G.C. Huston Public School because the infected trees are on the lower side of the slopes, but it would be a hazard for trail users.

“A tornado wipes out a narrow spot. The EAB doesn't care if it’s in someone’s backyard or in a natural area, it takes everything, it’s the most devastating.”

Victoria Serda, representing Trees for Saugeen, a subcommittee of SauGreen, spoke during the meeting. Over the years SauGreen has completed 1.4 million dollars in value of work through planting in Saugeen Shores and surrounding area. Serda said that not only will SauGreen plant trees but they will also plant gardens surrounding Fairy Lake with help from community members from Saugeen First Nation.

Serda called it a “good reconciliation project” and said that a drystone staircase will be built near an old cannery entrance around Grey Street. The staircase is to be built by the Saugeen drystone crew.

Serda called the planting project “assisted migration”.

“We’re trying to move species from the south, that we know are not going to be invasive,” said Serda. “You want to replant a diversity of things, so you have a wide variety of native plants but also some Carolinian species. Because as it gets warmer we need to make sure some of the trees are draught tolerant and able to deal with warmer summers and those types of things.”

The project, including the removal of 500 trees, re-planting as well as park upgrades, will have an estimated cost of $384,500.

During a Saugeen Shores Council meeting in December, it was determined that $225,000 will come from Park Reserves, which will cover the full cost of removal and a portion of the re-planting.

Grants worth $45,500 were acquired by SauGreen which include a $25,000 Great Lakes Guardian Grant and a grant from Bruce Power worth $20,500.

Visitor facility improvements which include udated trails, an accessible look-out and water fountains, will cost $99,000. Grant money from $49,000 will come from the Canada 150 grant and $50,000 will come from the Town of Saugeen Shores through tax payer dollars. The Town will also cover pondweed control worth $15,000.

Victoria Serda at Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre during the Fairy Lake presentation January 12.