为何好好的一个种树项目却搞得大家不开心？

 

 

 

米尔恩水坝保护公园是万锦市最大的公园，占地123公顷（305英亩）。胭脂河从中间穿过公园，沿河的南部和东部是茂密的树林。这个公园是人们观察鸟类、散步越野，野餐和钓鱼的地方。公园位于位于McCowan 路的东面，7号公路以南。

Milne Dam Conservation Park is Markham's largest park of 123 hectare or 305 acre with the Rouge River flowing in the middle and surrounded with a lush forest on the southern and eastern edges. A birding hot spot, this park offers trails, picnic spots & fishing in the Rouge River. It is located on the east side of McCowan Road, just south of Highway 7.

 

米尔恩水坝保护公园是一个位于繁忙和膨胀迅速的城市内的独特的特别资产，该公园给万锦市提供了一个人们能享受的教育，大自然和娱乐的空间。

Milne Dam Conservation Park is a unique and special asset that exists in the heart of our busy and growing city that provides Markham with a space that is enjoyed by many for education, nature and recreation.

 

但是，现在这个可爱的公园正在卷入一场有争议的公园植树项目。当地有些居民反对万锦市公园管理部门进行这个植树项目。 2016年10月1日，市公园管理部门开始在Drakefield路附近种植1500棵常青树苗（这些树为白云杉或松树，估计每颗树苗花费约55分）。种树前，市府没有向附近的居民征求意见。这个种树项目由多家机构参与，包括万锦市，多伦多地区保护局（TRCA），安大略省森林署和Del Ridge Homes（地产开发商）。

This lovely park is now involved in a controversial case of tree planting that pitches some local residents against the City's Parks Operations department. On October 1, 2016 an operation to plant 1500 evergreen seedlings (either white spruce or pine estimated at a cost of about 55 cents each) commenced in a field within the park near Drakefield Road without any consultations with residents nearby who will be affected by the project. The seedlings were planted through a partnership between the city of Markham, the Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Forest Ontario, and Del Ridge Homes (developer). 

 

反对该种树项目的居民也认为植树是件好事，任何能增加树林面积的地方都不应该被遗漏或被滥用。然而，他们中的许多人不同意选择种植这些树木的地点，并认为公园内还有其他更合适的地点种树。

Residents agreed that the benefits of tree planting are apparent and any opportunity to increase forest areas should not be missed or misused. However, many of them disagreed with the location chosen for the planting of these trees and believe there are other more suitable locations in the park.

 

2017年6月28日，市政府挨家挨户地给水坝保护公园周围的325多户家庭送信。信中，万锦公园管理部的经理David Plant提到一张照片。该照片显示有树苗被拔掉并丢弃在公园内的树下，他称这是“一起破坏城市财产”的事件。他进一步指出，6月9日进行的树苗损失统计表明，超过500棵树苗已经被踩碎或折断，或被人连根拔起。收到信的居民被告知，由于万锦市的告发，警方将调查这一破坏树苗的事件，一名约克区警官将访问邻里，以从居民口中获取谁要对这起事件负责的信息。

On June 28, 2017 the City hand delivered a letter to over 325 homes in the Milne Dam Conservation Park area. In this letter, Markham's parks manager David Plant mentioned "a case of vandalism and destruction of city property and assets" as identified by a photograph it received showing seedlings that were removed from the planting area and discarded under a park tree. He further noted that a staff audit performed June 9 showed in excess of 500 seedlings had either been crushed and broken, or had been physically removed from the ground. Recipients of the letter were advised that as part of a police investigation instigated by a report from the city, "an officer from YRP is expected to canvass the neighbourhood and speak to residents at their homes to obtain further information."

 

对许多居民来说，万锦市的这个行动似乎是“用大炮轰苍蝇”。因为有多种原因可能造成树苗的损坏。比如，万锦的许多学校经常使用这个空地进行各种体育赛事，尤其是长跑。另外，缺少提醒人们小心树苗的标志也可能会导致树苗被践踏。

To many residents, this action by the City of Markham appears to be a case of “killing a mouse with an elephant gun”. There can be many explanations  for the crushed and broken seedlings – this space was used regularly by Markham schools for sporting events, particularly long distance running. In addition, the lack of signage to identify the seedlings' existence could well have contributed to their damages.

 

直到今天，万锦市还没有积极响应居民要求开会和讨论如何改进这个种树项目的呼吁。另外，为了让树苗安全过冬，万锦市政府在每个树苗的周五放了椰子垫，而这些垫子有可能在冬天下雪时绊倒行人。因为“种树苗”的地方会有许多人进行越野滑雪和穿雪地鞋溜达。去年夏天，许多椰子垫已经被割草机打烂了。

To this day, the City has not responded positively to the residents request to meet and discuss improvements and adjustments to the project. It has now even placed coconut mats around each seedling which is a tripping hazard in the winter time under the snow as there will be people doing cross country skiing and snow shoeing in this “planted” field. Many of the coconut mats were already shredded by mowing tractors this last summer.

 

很明显，居民对种树项目的反应绝不是一个简单的“干啥都行，但不要在俺后院干”（不是在我的后院）的问题。下一次，我们将探讨如何解决这一问题，看看市政府是否能听取那些熟悉这一地区情况的人的意见。

Clearly, this is not just a simple case of “NIMBYISM” (Not in my back yard) reaction from local residents. Next time, we will look into some of the details surrounding this issue and what can be the solutions if the City will only listen to those who know about the area's activities.