[GREN-Exec] Fwd: New message from contact form

[Kevin Thomason]

HI GREN Executive,

I hope that you are having a good long weekend.  In between the dozens of junk e-mails received to the GREN website inquiry e-mail box I found a real e-mail today!

Below is someone hoping for help on naturalizing lawns in Waterloo.  I think it sounds good and something that we can support.  Please let me know any feedback and we can follow-up accordingly.

Cheers,
Kevin.

-------------------------------------

Kevin Thomason

1115 Cedar Grove Road
Waterloo, Ontario Canada  N2J 3Z4

Phone: (519) 888-0519
Mobile Phone/WhatsApp: (519) 240-1648
Twitter: @kthomason
E-mail: kevinthomason at mac.com

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> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: matthew.rekman at gmail.com
> Subject: New message from contact form
> Date: July 3, 2022 at 12:37:57 PM EDT
> To: vice-chair at gren.ca
> Reply-To: matthew.rekman at gmail.com
> 
> You have a new message from your contact form
> =============================
> Name: Matthew
> Surname: Rekman
> Email: matthew.rekman at gmail.com
> MailingList: yes
> Message: Hi there, I live in Waterloo, ON and have created an open letter and petition to city council members and the mayor in regards to improving the by-laws in Waterloo, ON to be more friendly and conducive to naturalized lawns on public and private property, allow for participation in No Mow May, and expand other year-long practices to help grow and support our local urban ecosystems. Below is a short summary of changes and linked below are the websites for the open letter and petition.
> I would be very excited if the Grand River Environmental Network would be interested in endorsing this proposal to the city. Due to bureaucratic red tape we cannot formally address this issue to council until after the fall municipal election.
> 
> -Change the bylaw definition of pests (which the bylaw states lots must be free of) to specify problem rodents (as opposed to all rodents) and completely remove insects (except for structure damaging insects like termites)
> 
> -Change the turf grass height limit from 20cm to 40cm, removing the height limit completely from October 1 through May 31, and not applying a height limit on lawns being actively converted to a naturalized state.
> 
> -Allowing tree snags and logs laying on the ground when safe as an element of natural landscaping.
> 
> -Removing the aesthetic requirements for naturalized areas to not be "unkempt" or "unsightly" in appearance and remove the requirement for a 1m "barrier strip" along property lines. Two requirements that can be argued as in violation of one's Charter Right freedom of expression (Bell v. Toronto (City) and Counter v. Toronto, 2002).
> 
> -Asking the city to look into including naturalized gardens (when used in conjunction with rain gardens) in the existing Stormwater Credit Program, having native plants make up at least 80% of all new city gardens, landscaping, and naturalizing plantings. And to evaluate existing and future parklands and city owned land to be converted to prairie like habitats and/or flower meadows.
> 
> I realize these measures are small in the grand scheme of things and won't fix our current ecological problems, but it is a start and hopefully can foster city wide discussion on how to be better stewards of the land and ecosystems around us.
> 
> Petition - https://www.change.org/p/bee-yond-no-mow-may-waterloo-on
> Open Letter - https://sites.google.com/view/beeyondnomowmay/home
> 

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