ROYALTY 
     
     OAKS 
     
    
   
   
    
     OAKS REMAIN STANDING 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     When the Natural History Society adjourned for the summer months in May, a 
     
     big concern for the members was the fate of Royalty Oaks, a mature 11 acre stand 
     
     of red oak (guercus rubra) located in East Royalty. Ironically this representative 
     
     stand of the tree on our provincial emblem was in danger of replacement by a food 
     
     store. At that time, an application by the owners, Food City Ltd. (a Sobey's 
     
     affiliate), was before the East Royalty Village Commission requesting rezoning 
     
     of the property to commercial status. Their plans called for cutting about 200 
     
     feet back into the small woodlot, an action which foresters felt would expose 
     
     the remaining oaks to harsh weather unsuited to their original growth forms, and 
     
     generally threaten the integrity of the stand. In short, a tree grown under 
     
     sheltered conditions may not stand up too well to strong winds. 
     
    

    
     Plans for a second phase of development called for expansion of the store to 
     
     extend at right angles to the Phase I development, thereby almost bisecting the 
     
     remaining woods. 
     
    

    
     The stand at Royalty Oaks is one of the few remaining examples of typical 
     
     red oak forest on P.E.I., and accelerated cutting of hardwoods for wood stove 
     
     consumption threatens other more isolated stands. In recognition of the value 
     
     of the oak stand, East Royalty village plans listed Royalty Oaks as a 'Natural 
     
     Area' worthy of protection. The obvious commercial value of the property and 
     
     jobs resulting from commercial development seemed highly attractive however. 
     
    

    
     In order to learn more about concerns of environmental groups, the Village 
     
     Commission had private hearings with both the Island Nature Trust and the 
     
     Natural History Society. Representations by these groups were also put forward 
     
     to the provincial government to intervene or offer financial assistance to the 
     
     Village in purchasing the property from Food City Ltd. Some letters of protest 
     
     also appeared in local newspapers. At the public meeting.held in East Royalty 
     
     to consider the rezoning application, several groups and concerned citizens again 
     
     voiced their objections. In the end the rezoning application was denied. Perhaps 
     
     the best argument for its denial was the support of about 300 residents of the 
     
     small village, and roughly 700 other concerned people, who agreed with petition 
     
     circulator Brian Gauthier that the oaks should stand. 
     
    

    
     The message that a shopping mall is a poor substitute for a 'natural area' 
     
     was taken to heart, and a surprise solution to the conundrum was announced 
     
     about one month after the public hearings. The East Royalty Village Commission, 
     
     with provincial assistance, arranged a deal with Food City Ltd. Land suitable 
     
     for commercial development and an undisclosed sum of money was exchanged for the 
     
     Royalty Oaks property. Royalty Oaks is to remain as 'parkland' and possibly 
     
     some attempts to upgrade the oaks will be undertaken. At present the Village 
     
     Commission has formed a committee to suggest a rational management plan for the 
     
     woodlot, but to date this committee has not met. 
     
    

    
     The Natural History Society extends its appreciation to both the East 
     
     Royalty Village Commission and the MacLean government for a most satisfactory 
     
     solution to preserving Royalty Oaks. All too often on P.E.I., governments have 
     
     done little more than posture about protecting unique natural areas. This time, 
     
     financial assistance was forthcoming when needed.