Residents shocked by clear-cut
City chops 'more trees than planned' as part of work to create a fire break in the Finlayson area
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Friday, September 22, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
At least one Yellowknife couple is heartbroken after seeing thousands of trees cut down behind Parker Park off Finlayson Drive.
Dawn Collins, left, and William Chueng stand in the middle of a clear-cut behind Parker Park off Finlayson Drive with their dogs, Chloe, Scoobie, Bear and Abbey, on Wednesday. The couple says they are heartbroken by the loss of thousands of trees, a move they say has destroyed several trails in the area. The city says the clear-cut was necessary to FireSmart the area. - John McFadden/NNSL photo |
The city is behind the clear-cut - the intent is to create a firebreak to protect neighbourhoods from the threat of wildfire. In an e-mail, city spokesperson Richard McIntosh stated the city worked with a contractor to FireSmart the area and in the process, may have cleared more than they were supposed to.
"The amount of trees taken down was more than what was planned, so work has been halted for the season," he stated.
Dawn Collins and William Chueng, who live in the area, were walking their dogs in the area Wednesday. They said it was absolutely jarring to see the change.
Collins said she had already been to the area and had seen the wide swath of trees cut down but Chueng was seeing it for the first time.
"I was walking on the Range Lake Trail with my dogs and I heard the most awful sound," said Collins. "I didn't even know what it was but I knew it wasn't a good sound ... I kept away because I didn't want to acknowledge what was happening. My neighbour told me be prepared for a big shock. I waited a couple of weeks, but when I came - oh my goodness. I was so devastated. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach."
Both Collins and Chueng said they understand the need to FireSmart the city, but wondered why they weren't warned beforehand.
"They didn't inform us they were doing this back here," said Chueng.
"There were beautiful trails that people use all the time. There were greats paths that people use all the time - beautiful in the winter and beautiful in the summer. It's terrible."
According to McIntosh, information about the work was posted on the city's website, advertised in the Capital Update and posted on social media. He advised work to remediate the area hasn't begun yet.
"The city will be going into the area to remove the roots and debris and will be planting birch saplings," he stated.
McIntosh added birch trees do not allow wildfires to crown - or travel quickly from tree top to tree top. The majority of trees destroyed were spruce and jack pine, according to McIntosh.
He added work next summer will be outlined ahead of time, again, on the city's website, in the Capital Update and on social media.
He did not address by press time questions from Yellowknifer about why more trees were taken down than planned, whether the city had received any complaints from the public about the clear-cut and whether a permit was needed for the work.
