There's an ongoing effort to correct an error of judgement among some Counselors and Administrators.

The error is, that acting to, or even talking about, protecting Woodlands "may" cause deforestation.

To be clear about the cause of Deforestation, in 2012 when Chatham Corn prices doubled to over $8 a bushel and Agricultural land prices began to skyrocket, individuals and land holding corporations went on a clear cutting rampage.

After seeing months of increasing slash and burn, then CK Councilor Sheldon Parsons entered a notice of motion for a 6-month moratorium on the clear cutting in late January of 2013.

That Notice of Motion was later withdrawn because a moratorium was beyond the authority of the municipality.

By that time over a 1,000 acres had already been destroyed, and over the next year and a half another 400 acres. That's 6% lost in under three years .

Over the next 18 months, empowered by counselor Parsons Notice of Motion, people began to petition their counselors to institute a Forest Protection Bylaw, not a "Tree Cutting" bylaw, or a Moratorium.

During the summer of 2013  executive lobbyists of the Kent Federation of Agriculture began to push a narrative that the clear-cutting was happening BECAUSE of counselor Parsons, Notice of Motion and the subsequent public outcry.

During the later parts of 2013, corn prices began to fall, land prices stabilized and the rate clear cutting dropped significantly.

This is the crucial fact.

Executive lobbyists of the Kent Federation of Agriculture did not then, nor do now represent the opinions of all of their membership, nor was all of the clear cutting done by KFA members. Farmers are highly diverse and generally a pro-stewardship community.

But hidden in the basket a few bad apples cause most of the spoilage.

So what these lobbyists have done is to inculcate a climate of fear surrounding protecting Woodlands among decision makers, in a way very similar to a hostage situation.

Very few Woodlands are destroyed out of spite or anticipation of protection. The main drivers of deforestation are commodity prices and land values. Local public outcry is the reaction.

Other tactics were used by the KFA during the 2013-2014 efforts to protect our Woodlands, but FEAR has been the most pernicious and ongoing impediment to progress.

When you talk with your Counselor you may hear them say something like:"

... we have to be very careful because any action perceived as protection will cause more of the forest to come down..."

This is exactly the lie that has been perpetuated by reversing the order of events.

You may need to educate your counselor and encourage clear thinking about this.

Please take the time to verify these facts for yourself.

Thank you