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Many oppose plan to harvest dead ash trees from Poland Municipal Forest
POLAND
A heated debate among some members of the community and village council regarding maintenance of the Poland Municipal Forest remains ignited.
The village hall was packed with residents at a council meeting Tuesday. A slew of them expressed a similar opinion about a previous proposal floated by council to harvest dead ash trees from the forest: Don’t.
Infestation of scores of ash trees by the emerald ash borer, a tree-eating insect, previously prompted council to consider options that ranged from hiring loggers to harvest the dead trees to leaving the forest in its natural state.
Those who addressed council Tuesday raised concerns such as damage that might be caused to the forest during the logging process, disruption of the forest’s ecosystem, the negative effect of removing trees that are resistant to the disease, and more. Most seemed to agree that they would prefer dead ash trees only be removed on an individual basis if they are in highly-traveled parts of the forest and pose a risk, while others advocated no removal at all.
“One of the things we are solidly opposed to is the harvesting or cutting down of all of the ash trees in the forest, whether they are dead or dying,” said the president of Friends of the Poland Municipal Forest, a nonprofit organization that supports the forest.
“The forest, as much as possible, should be left in its natural state,” he said.
James Swager, who previously served on the forest board, spoke about his opposition to the proposal and at times exchanged heated remarks with council members.
“We realized we had a natural gem that wasn’t a tree farm,” he said of his time on the forest board. “If you start logging in there, you will no longer have a beautiful, natural area.”
Council members, however, didn’t back down from the proposal, saying the time has come for the forest to become financially self-sufficient.
The law that governs management of the forest specifically states that the forest must remain self-sufficient through harvesting and present no burden to taxpayers. Council members argued they would be in violation of the law if they don’t abide by that part of it, while some residents argued that the law has not been followed since the ordinance was written in 1938 and that council should update the ordinance.
Council is awaiting a report from a state forester before making a decision.
In other business, council had a special meeting to get community input regarding street repairs.
Council is asking voters next month to approve a five-year, 2-mill levy to repair roads. The levy would generate $114,566 per year and would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $70 per year.
Gary Diorio, an engineer with MS Consultants, presented the findings of an engineering study done to determine which roads are a priority for repaving.
At the top of the list are Sheridan Road, College Street, Hamilton and Michigan avenues, and Island and Venloe drives.
The village applied for an Ohio Public Works Commission grant to resurface part of Sheridan Road. Council will find out later this month if they will get funding, which would cover 39 percent of the estimated $74,000 cost. That project would take place next year.