Chatham-Kent council will not be looking at potential municipal incentives for preserving woodlots in Chatham-Kent.
At Monday night’s council meeting, South Kent councillor Ryan Doyle brought forward a motion to have Chatham-Kent administration prepare a report that outlines incentives for woodlot owners.
Doyle said if the municipality doesn’t want woodlots to be destroyed, municipal incentives should be put in place.
“If our municipality doesn’t want them to not take down trees, then our municipality should step up and put our money where our mouths are and say hey, we are going (bring) in incentives,” Doyle said.
Doyle’s motion failed by a 14-4 vote.
There are provincial incentive programs already in place for local woodlot owners, said Bruce McAllister, Chatham-Kent’s director of community development.
McAllister said he is not aware of any other municipalities funding incentives for woodlots.
The purpose of municipal incentives would also encourage the expansion of tree cover in Chatham-Kent, Doyle said in his motion.
