Skip to content

Thaw conditions good, but stay away from the water

Conservation authority general manager aware of need to harvest some Hiawatha trees
160920-CONSERVATIONAUTHORITYBUILDING-DT
The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority's office at 1100 Fifth Line East in summer. Darren Taylor/SooToday

As always, the public is being urged to exercise caution and not venture near the banks of waterways within the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority’s system.

That said, the authority says it is pleased this spring’s thaw has not caused any floods.

“Right now things are flowing well, everything’s at a decent level, the melt has been slow and steady,” said Rhonda Bateman, conservation authority general manager, speaking to SooToday Thursday.

“We favour these moderate temperatures, five or six degrees during the day and back to freezing at night, that really helps, and the wind is fantastic. Right now, with the forecast over the next little while, we should be okay,” Bateman said.

Meanwhile, the public is also urged to provide input to the conservation authority regarding its draft Managed Forest Plan for Jan. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2027.

Managed Forest Plans are updated at 10-year intervals.

“Our biggest priority for the Managed Forest Plan moving forward is ensuring we have a healthy, sustainable forest,” Bateman told SooToday.

“The necessary forestry treatments that are being proposed are to enhance what we have. There are portions of our forests right now that need to be corrected and improved…it doesn’t always mean harvesting,” Bateman said, but she added there are some diseased trees that need to be cut down.

“It will be done.”

The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority has taken on Algoma Manitoulin Forestry Service in a consulting capacity in regard to the draft plan (for a consulting fee of $29,595).

Forest operations recommended in the plan, such as harvesting for example, will be carried out by third parties which successfully bid on the work, as the conservation authority itself cuts down only those trees that are considered hazardous to public safety.

The 30-day public input period for the draft Managed Forest Plan for 2018-2027 continues until Apr. 5.

More information on the draft plan is available on the Conservation Authority’s website

The public consultation process began with an information and public input session held by the conservation authority at Civic Centre’s Russ Ramsay Room Mar. 7.

“It was very well attended…what was very reassuring was that most of the people at that session were foresters and a lot of their comments were ‘wow, that’s a really good idea,’” Bateman said.

As conservation authority general manager, Bateman said she would like to see the Red Pine Plantation at Hiawatha Highlands improved. 

Many of the trees there have been dying off for years.

“That’s the most publicly used area we have that’s forested, so it needs to be not only inviting and esthetically pleasing, but it’s got to be a healthy forest,” Bateman said.

“When you have a plantation like that it needs to be thinned now and again and it hasn’t been thinned for a long time, so it’s time to get in there and do that.”

Will there be sufficient funding for all the Conservation Authority would like to do over the next decade?

“Money is tight, absolutely, but we don’t anticipate asking the city for money for this, we have a forestry trust,” Bateman said.

“That’s what’s paying for this and we’re hoping for the plan itself, there’s been enough money in the trust to pay for that, and we’re hoping to generate enough money to cover the costs.”   

The current 2008-2017 Managed Forest Plan expires Dec. 31.

Were all the conservation authority’s objectives in that plan reached?

“Did we meet them all, no.  Did we try, yes,” Bateman said.

“There needs to be a little bit more field work in terms of boundary markings, various small things.”

“The focus of our last managed forest plan was not harvesting, it was education and recreation.”

“It was to strengthen partnerships and collaboration with recreational users, and we’ve expanded our trail system to include bikes and fat bikes…in the last 10 years there have been new recreational opportunities we’ve made available, especially in the Highlands and the forested areas.”

Participation in the Managed Forest Plan process is not mandatory, but through taking part in it, the conservation authority benefits from the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program, Bateman explained.

That gives the agency a break on its municipal property taxes.

Anyone who owns forested land can participate, including private citizens.

Bateman said she is not aware of how many of the province’s 36 conservation authorities are participating in the Managed Forest Plan program.

 


What's next?


If you would like to apply to become a Verified reader Verified Commenter, please fill out this form.




Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
Read more