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What it’s about (Oct 6, 2019)
Large areas were closed and chain saws were buzzing in PPP shortly after Hurricane Dorian passed by in early September of 2019. Some of that was to move trees that fell or were leaning over after the hurricane, but it didn’t stop there – contractors began a thinning of tree cull that had been planned to take place in 5 areas of the park in 2019. There was no Press Release or other public announcement about the operations. The articles below provide more details. According to the first article, “A similar thinning project will be conducted next year and in 2021”.
New Items (May 2019)
–Massive tree cull in Point Pleasant Park planned for this summer
Paul Palmeter · CBC News · Posted: May 07, 2019 “There are an estimated 100,000 trees in the zones that will be worked on, and 80 per cent will be taken down. “What we are trying to do here is make a stronger, healthier forest moving forward,” said Elliott. “The trees that will be left are the ones we feel will have a better opportunity to grow.” Acadian forest species such as white pine, red oak, eastern hemlock and sugar maples will not be touched. “We are trying to rebirth the park back to its natural beginnings of Acadian forestry with the sturdier types of trees remaining,” said Elliott.”
– Summer tree-thinning at Halifax’s Point Pleasant Park part of post-Juan plan
by John McPhee in the Chronicle Herald May 8, 2019.“The woodlands in Point Pleasant Park that were devastated by a hurricane 16 years ago are starting to rebound.Ironically, that means it’s time to start chopping some of it down…
“After hurricane Juan, we conducted a comprehensive plan for the park that looked at everything from reforestation to road maintenance and buildings,” said Brendan Elliott, spokesman for Halifax Regional Municipality.“Coming out of that was a requirement and … a recognition that we need to have a forestry work plan. This is the time that makes sense because we’re now seeing that growth. … This is when you can actually see where the smaller, thinner, weaker trees that would eventually die anyway are positioned in the forest.”
To that end, the city has put out a tender to thin out five areas in the park for a total of 10.63 hectares. The original plan had the work ending by July 31 but the city has put that forward to September/October so not to interfere with migratory bird nesting. Roughly 80,000 trees will be taken down and left to decompose as natural fertilizer for the park forest floor, Elliott said.
That will leave about — and Elliott emphasized the predicted counts are approximate — 20,000 trees spread out over the five thinning zones.
Besides those weaker trees that likely won’t make it anyway, the crews will target “invasive” trees such as Norway maple and horse chestnut trees that weren’t part of the original Acadian forest…
Arboreal expert Peter Duinker, who wrote the forestry section of the post-Juan comprehensive plan for the park in 2008, welcomed the thinning plan with some caveats…Duinker isn’t happy with the city’s plan to maintain a uniform spacing of 2.5 by 2.5 metres with roughly 1,600 trees per hectare. That kind of uniformity would make sense in a silviculture project for timber production but not in a natural green space like Point Pleasant, he said.
– For the birds: Halifax delays plan to cut 80,000 trees in Point Pleasant Park
Michael MacDonald, THE CANADIAN PRESS on CTV News May 10, 2019
A plan to cut down 80,000 trees inside Halifax’s most popular seaside park has been put on hold until the fall to protect the nests of many species of birds, including a well-known but secretive pair of pileated woodpeckers. Earlier this week, city officials said the cutting at Point Pleasant Park, which is aimed at restoring the health of the park’s Acadian forest, would be carried out in June and July. However, spokesman Brendan Elliott confirmed Friday no trees would be felled until September because an earlier cull would have violated federal regulations pertaining to migratory birds…”
– Forestry expert advises caution in Point Pleasant Park tree cull
Pam Berman · CBC News · Posted: May 13, 2019. Listen to InfoAM Interview
According to Romkey, the trees should be inspected to ensure they have strong root systems so they can withstand hurricanes and drought conditions. He also believes that certain areas of the park should not get as heavily thinned as others in order to protect the park from prevailing winds. |
