Canadian Forestry Journal, June, 1919 



251 



IN PREVENTION OF SHADE TREE BUTCHERY 



Electric Linemen 

 Valuable 



Charged With Inconsiderate Mutilation 

 Specimens — Is Rate of Compensation 

 Adequate? 



of 



In response to requests from many residents 

 of Western Ontario, the Canadian Forestry As- 

 sociation has taken up actively the question of 

 the legal rights and practices of public utilities 

 companies and commissions in the destruction 

 or mutilation of shade trees along the public 

 highways and on private property. Of the 

 many complaints received by the Association 

 from owners of shade trees, a few proved to be 

 so obviously unfair as to supply poor material 

 in seeking remedial action. For example, some 

 complainants have taken a position that they 

 would not have their shade trees altered in any 

 particular, even though the lighting and tele- 

 phone facilities of an entire community de- 

 pended upon their acquiescence. Another case 

 was encountered in which a shade tree owner 

 strongly objected to any lineman touching an 

 oak tree on his property. It developed that the 

 oak tree in question was badly rotted in the 

 trunk and several of the heavier branches were 

 ready to fall into the highway during the first 

 severe wind storm. 



In a letter received on June 9th from the 

 Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, 

 the following statement is made: 



"It is the desire of the Commission to do as 

 little damage as possible to the trees and pro- 

 perties of the people along the line of Hydro 

 construction and they have secured the best help 

 they could get to take charge of the trees to be 

 trimmed and cut. However, any suggestions 

 that you may have as to more skilled people 

 in this respect, or improved methods of doing 

 the work, will be appreciated. 



"When you have completed your investigation 

 I would be glad to have a copy of the result 

 and any suggestions that you may have that 

 will improve the situation." 



Watch for Infractions! 



The Forestry Association affirms that if every 

 reader in Western Ontario will keep close watch 

 on the conduct of linemen when carrying wires 

 through trees and will supply details of any in- 

 stances that seem to violate fair play, these 

 will be brought to the attention of the Hydro- 

 Electric Power Commission without delay. As 



the Ontario law now stands the rights of the 

 individual property-owner to the trees on his 

 own property as well as to those in an ad- 

 jacent highway, has been superseded by the 

 amendments to the Hydro Power Act of On- 

 tario so that at the present time the "Hydro 

 people" have ample authority to handle shade 

 trees as they see fit. Major W. W. Pope, Sec- 

 retary of the Commission, in writing to the For- 

 estry Association, emphasizes the point that 

 notwithstanding the power given to the Com- 

 mission, every effort is made to convenience 

 the owners of shade trees and instructions are 

 given to the working parties that minimum 

 damage shall be caused, consistent with the 

 economy of line construction. Says Major 

 Pope: 



"In addition to this, tree trimming matters 

 have been very carefully looked into and 

 wherever the trimming or cutting of trees is 

 found necessary they have employed the most 

 skilled experts that could be got, so that in 

 carrying on this work as little damage as pos- 

 sible should be done to the trees, and have 

 sought in every case to inconvenience the own- 

 ers and occupiers of land as little as possible, 

 having regard at all times to the efficient and 

 proper construction of the lines and to secure 

 efficient operation In support of this statement 

 the Commission have some thousands of miles 

 of high and low tension lines in operation in 

 this province and respecting which only two 

 arbitrations have ever been sought, respecting 

 trees, and less than half a dozen respecting land 

 rights. It does happen that in some districts, 

 owing to the Bell Telephone and other company 

 lines having been constructed and operated on 

 one side of the highway, the Commission are 

 confined to the other side for the purpose of 

 their line. One of the principal requirements for 

 good operation, is non-interference with the line 

 by trees." 



Policy in Cities. 



The Forestry Journal believes, however, that 

 a vast improvement is due in the system of 

 cutting shade trees in advance of line stringing. 

 In cities such as Ottawa, where an official tree 



