Canadian Forestry Journal, Januar]), 1920 



ONTARIO'S NEW ROADS TO HAVE TREE BORDERS 



Under (he guidance of Mr. W . A. McLean, Deputy Minister of Ontario's Department of 

 Public Highways, a new and most interesting tree planting policy has been brought to public 

 notice. Mr. McLean advocates the widening of provincial highways in order to accommodat" 

 not only the modern features of motor traffic and electric railways, but to provide space for the 

 planting of rows of the best trees. 



In a letter to the Editor of the Forestry Journal, Mr. McLean says: 



Dear Sir: 



I am in receipt of your letter of December 

 20th with respect to the planting of shade trees 

 along new roads in Ontario. 



I am herewith enclosing a pamplilet with re- 

 spect to the widening of roads assumed as 

 Provincial Highways, which is self-explanatory 

 and which indicates our desire to obtain greater 

 width in order that trees may be permanently 

 maintained along these important thorough- 

 fares. This applies more especially to the main 

 'artery from the vicinity of Windsor to the Que- 

 bec boundary and with branches from Prescott 

 to Ottawa and Hamilton to Niagara Falls. 



Roads as originally laid out in the earlier 

 surveys of the provmce necessarily too' 

 consideration only horse-drawn traffic and no 

 provision was made for the additional require- 

 ments of motor traffic, as well as street railways, 



electric power, telephone and telegraph services 

 which many main highways are now required to 

 accommodate. 



As a result ,the trees which are regarded as 

 essential in the designing of a well laid out 

 highway liave been subject to ruinous and ruth- 

 less destruction and mutilation, with no pro- 

 vision for replacing them. 



It is my view, in order to permanently main- 

 tain well-developed trees on the public high- 

 way where wire and other similar services will 

 necessarily find a place, it is essential that an 

 increased right-of-way be provided and when 

 this is done, I hope that we may be able to per- 

 manently maintain on such highways a better 

 class of trees tlian has commonly been planted 

 on them. 



\ours truly, 



W. A. McLean. 



PLANNING ROADS TO INCLUDE TREES 



By W . A. McLean, Deputy Minister of Public Highways, Toronto. 



Main highways of to-day serve purposes not requirements are to be adequately served. The 



contemplated when originally surveyed and foot-path, owing to the amount and dangers of 



made their present widths. motor traffic, becomes a necessity where not 



Half a century ago the use of roads was con- previously required, 

 fined to one service — the comparatively slow As a result of the encroachments of these 

 horse-drawn traffic. Roads in the first surveys services, the magnificent rows of trees which 

 were made forty feet wide, but this was found formerly lined many of the roads have been cut 

 too narrow. Soon a width of sixty-six feet was and disfigured, in the end destroyed, in order 

 adopted, as in England, and was made the that the needs of telephone and other wiring 

 general standard of the province. This was systems may be met. Property owners, know- 

 ample to provide a roadway, drainage, foot- ing the ultimate fate of trees, are discouraged 

 paths, and rows of trees, the natural complement from planting them along the highway. It has 

 •♦ of an attractive roadway. become apparent that, if trees are to be per- 



To-day, in addition to horse-drawn traffic, fitted on main routes of travel, a width of 66 



the fast-moving motor, the heavy motor truck, ^eet or less, where all services are carried, has 



require an added width of roadway for ordinary ceased to give sufficient room, and greater width 



safety — safety not alone for the car, but rather '^ needed. 



for the horse-drawn vehicle. The telephone The widening of the Provincial Highway sys- 



line (sometimes two or more competing com- tem can only be attained through the loyal co- 



panies), the telegraph line, electric light and operation of interested property owners. The 



power lines, sometimes the electric railway, de- additional amount of land required is compara- 



mand a place on the main highway if public tively small. To widen a 66-foot roadway to 



