tree huggers

Here is my tree hugger, part-way up the tree.
It seems that it is the opposite here in our township. A lobby group has gotten together to protest.

We need tree huggers. They help us question our practices. Those who own property want the right to cut as many trees as they want. But we owe the land a policy of good stewardship. We know that those who own land have shown that they feel the power to exploit it anyway they want.

It occurs to me that we must think about that wonderful thought: we only borrow the land from our children. I have seen little evidence of residents who seem to take their responsibility seriously - the one that respects nature, the land, the trees and the creatures who share our ecosystem. In 1979, James Lovelock proposed the Gaia Hypothesis : life on Earth is really one organism.

A Bracebridge Examiner letter, by Scott Young, Councillor, says, "...Muskoka’s current bylaw is flimsy and unenforceable. More than half the landowners are absent. The lack of regulation and oversight on Muskoka’s private land makes an easy target."
This proposed by-law applies to land over ten acres. You can access it at the Township site. For a brief overview of the proposed by-law and a list of exemptions click here.

What is rather amusing is that landowners are threatening to close their snowmobiles trails in protest to this propsal. I am not sure how that helps? It will penalize thos who depend upon the tourists for their dollars.

It will, perhaps, give us some peace and quiet. Although, despite a marine law forbidding PWC and boats to speed too quickly near shore, I wonder why we don't give the same guidelines to these massive, noisy machines that drivers take anywhere they please. A neighbouring teen crashed across our property and smashed flat a beautiful bush with berries.

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pine boughs stand
heavily burdened with snow
the green and white a gorgeous painting
fir boughs collect the flakes
leaning towards the ground in protest
one by one the snowflakes gathered this day
shaking the trees, I walk past in awe

the sounds of winter caresses my ears
chirping of chickadees
raucous cries of jumpy jays
exploding across the lake- a machine screams by
birds flee
cat stands in fear