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The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday May 20, 2006 - 5 Woodlot repair could cost $464,800 By Stephanie Thiessen SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER It could cost almost half a million dollars to undo the damage that was unleashed upon a Milton woodlot when more than 20 acres of trees were plowed down three years ago. A price tag of $464,800 is what biologist Dale Leadbeater testified it would cost to ensure the stripped forested area on Fourth Line is restored to its former natural state, if the most effective method is selected. "Restoration is an extremely expensive process when you're trying to reproduce the entire ecosystem," Leadbeater told Justice of the Peace Jerry Woloschuk yesterday morning in the sentencing hearing for Burlington resident George Vastis at Ontario Provincial Offences Court in Milton. Vastis and his numbered company were convicted last month of 44 counts of cutting trees in a woodlot and in an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) in April and July of 2003, contrary to the Forestry Act. He faces up to $840,000 in fines. Vastis pleaded not guilty to the charges in 2004, and maintains he wasn't building a golf course as Woloschuk concluded. It won't be easy to restructure the eco-system that existed before Vastis plowed it under, said Leadbeater, an environmental consultant specializing in restoration projects. Testifying for Crown attorney John Olah, she outlined four restoration scenarios for the site. "If the objective is to restore the native bio-diversity within our lifetime, it's necessary to replant," she told the court. The first restoration scenario the court could impose is what Leadbeater termed a "high effort" solution, which would cost the most, but also ensure the highest -- and quickest -- success rate. It would involve restoring the damage sustained to the soil when it was compacted, mixed together and had some of its top organic layer removed during tree cutting. Restoring the soil is important to the survival of any newly-planted trees, court heard. The high effort plan would include trees native to the area of various stages of growth -- to replicate the woodlot that existed. Also included would be methods to promote the survival of the new trees, including using compost -- which is costly, but effective -- and monitoring closely. Medium and low level efforts were also presented, priced at $122,260 and $78,760 respectively. These scenarios would take longer to restore and have a higher failure rate. They'd involve putting mulch pads around the trees -- to suppress plant growth -- instead of compost and have less monitoring before and after the planting, Leadbeater said. These options would require that more trees be planted, since fewer would survive. The low level effort would involve planting only seedlings, meaning it would take about 50 years before the forested area reached its former state, Leadbeater told the court. A 20 to 25 per cent success rate is all one could expect from the low intensity scenario, court heard. The remaining possibility would involve focusing solely on restoring the soil -- with mulch -- so the remaining trees could drop their seeds and germinate on their own, to the tune of $280,000. Vastis's property lies close to the Oakville border, south of Britannia Road and north of Hwy. 407, between Regional Road 25 and Trafalgar Road. The case will continue June 15, when defence lawyer David Crocker presents his sentencing submissions. with the Y Photo Co Contest Did you grow up in Oakville? Can you think way, way back to the 50's, 60's, and 70's...from poodle skirts to disco and from the `Y-Nots' to `Kinder Kamp'? The YMCA of Oakville and the Oakville Beaver would like to announce a photo contest in honour of the Y's 50th Anniversary in Oakville. We want to celebrate the history of the Y and of our community, and your old photos can take us back in time like nothing else can. So dig through those albums and shoe boxes and join in the fun! Submit your pictures to the Oakville Beaver by July 29 and you could be eligible to win fantastic prizes in four categories: 50 YEARS WITH THE Y 1st Prize - 2 tickets to the Y's gala 50's celebration `At the Hop' on October 14, 2006 2nd Prize - 5-month YMCA of Oakville Adult Membership 3rd Prize - One season of YBC Youth Basketball 4th Prize - 3-month YMCA of Oakville Child/Youth Membership (age 0 to 14) 1950's/1960's/1970's (3 prizes for each decade) 1st Prize - 3-month YMCA of Oakville Adult Membership 2nd Prize - YMCA picnic gift basket 3rd Prize - YMCA gym bag and gift pack www.ymcaofoakville.com f k ll a Street, Oakville, ON L6 Telephone: 905-845-3417 Facsimile: 905-842-6792 E-mail: customerservice@oakville.ymca.ca Pay-As-You-Play · Corporate Events · Banquets & Weddings · Golf Instruction · Special Memberships · Dining Lionhead · Brampton · 905-455-4800 Streetsville Glen · Brampton · 905-451-9325 Royal Ontario · Milton · 1-877-ROYAL-18 Carlisle · Carlisle · 1-800-661-4343 Century Pines · Flamborough · 1-866-388-5688 Royal Niagara · Niagara-on-the-Lake · 1-866-ROYAL-18