Petition For the Continuation of the SDG Roadside Tree Planting Program

To Warden François Landry and Members of the SDG County Council

United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry

As a matter of public safety, we, the undersigned, respectfully urge Council to continue, rather than pause, its roadside tree planting program. At the upcoming March 16 meeting, please consider the numerous public benefits of the program.  

In recent years, winter driving in the tri-counties has become considerably more dangerous. With the decline of tree cover across SDG, long stretches of roads have become fully exposed to prevailing winds. On windy days, snow drifts can rapidly cover open pavement. During storms, blowing snow can create whiteout conditions. Deep drifts form faster than plows can reasonably clear them and constitute a serious hazard to drivers, especially after dark. 

The County’s roadside tree planting initiative is a practical, forward-looking, and praiseworthy effort to address this threat. Trees planted within the municipal right-of-way — approximately 3–5 feet from the property line and on land owned by the municipality — will, over time, act as natural windbreaks. They will help reduce drifting snow, improve visibility, and make winter travel safer for everyone, young and old.

The windbreaks will also provide SDG with other community benefits: reduced erosion along roadside ditches; enhanced water quality: habitat for birds and wildlife; carbon sequestration and climate resilience; and a more beautiful rural landscape.

Many of us are parents and grandparents. We regularly drive our children across SDG — to hockey arenas, ski trails, part-time jobs, friends’ homes, and community events.  Many others are senior drivers, out to pick up groceries, go to medical appointments, or visit friends. Still others are inexperienced teen drivers, learning to navigate the roads of the tri-counties for the first time. Finally, school buses, emergency vehicles, and agricultural transport all need safe passage.

While we recognize and respect the essential role agriculture plays in SDG, public road safety is a shared right and a vital necessity for the residents of SDG and the Cornwall area. The trees in question are being planted on public land, funded by SDG taxpayers, for public benefit. They have also been positioned with care so as not to impede tile drains from the agricultural fields next to them. 

Therefore, we respectfully ask Council to consider the interests of all residents when making this decision and to continue the roadside tree planting program without a one-year pause. Such an action will significantly improve the long-term safety of our tri-county roads and will ensure that the interests of all residents — across professions and generations — are fairly considered.