Parks Canada plans to chop down about 150 dead and hazardous trees surrounding Banff’s Middle Springs residential development.
Officials say the 150 dead and unhealthy trees in a four-hectare area pose a threat to the safety of people and property, noting another 30 trees that posed an immediate danger were already cut down this past summer.
“A hazardous tree is anything that might pose hazard to people or infrastructure. It might be a tree falling or a limb falling off a tree,” said Dave Verhulst, fire communications officer for Banff National Park.
“The housing development itself resulted in the removal of several hectares of trees and we’ve done FireSmart thinning and removed more trees, making the remaining trees susceptible to wind throw.”
The environmental assessment for the project is now out for public review. Deadline for public input is Dec. 16. If the project is approved, the work would be done sometime this winter.
Trees suitable for firewood would also be bucked into 16-inch lengths and Banff residents would be able to apply for a restricted activity permit to collect and use them for firewood.
Most trees are lodgepole pine, but there are a few Douglas fir and aspen in this four-hectare area. The habitat importance of these trees, used by cavity nesting species like woodpeckers, will be measured against public safety threats.
Parks Canada also plans to complete vegetation management plan for developed areas this winter in a bid to manage hazardous trees in developed areas throughout the park.
“The plan will provide guidelines for hazard tree ID and include a rating scale to prioritize areas for action,” said Verhulst.
