Concerns voiced over Sandilands clearcutting

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This article was published 11/06/2017 (3219 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Looking around the heart of the once lush, green Sandilands Provincial Forest, Vance Rempel says his ancestors would weep if they saw the forest’s current state.

The forest, which covers 3,000 square kilometers, is a hub for trail-riders, wildlife and berry picking, has seen livelier days. In the last two years, one any given day, logging trucks and tractors can be seen clearcutting large areas of forest. Jack pines, birch trees and spruce trees all cut into uniform size logs, lay on the side of gravel roads waiting to be loaded onto trucks and hauled out of the area.

Rempel, along with several other RM of Piney residents, want to know why. No one told them this would be happening to what many consider the area’s livelihood. Instead, Rempel said they just had to watch it happen.

Rempel, a Winnipeg and Carrick resident, held an impromptu meeting with about 25 Piney residents at the Woodridge Hall to voice concerns over the deforestation in the area.

At the meeting, several residents asked what they could do to find answers and information on why mass amounts of trees are being clearcut from the forest. Consensus was to contact their representatives from the provincial government and the minister of sustainable development to get information.

Some residents even went as far as mulling the idea to blockade logging trucks. Several residents assured The Carillon it would come to that should they not get the answers they need.

“We’ve just heard grapevine explanations. Nobody in the community was made aware of it,” said Rempel. “It just seems like they are doing it and there is no control.”

Rempel has tried to find answers from local government representatives.

Emails provided to The Carillon show he first reached out to the office of Provencher MP Ted Falk, who’s riding covers the forest and RM of Piney, on Mar. 29, but was told the matter was a provincial issue.

Rempel then voiced his concerns to La Verendrye MLA Dennis Smook, who represents the area, in an email on April 21. Rempel said he has yet to hear back from Smook.

Smook also did not return The Carillon’s request for an interview by press time.

In an emailed statement to The Carillon, a provincial spokesperson said tree harvesting in the area has been approved in order to address two issues: containing and preventing a pine bark engravers insect infestation and removing dead and damaged trees from a snow event in 2012.

“Dead or damaged trees from a 2012 snow event are being removed because they currently present a significant wildfire risk. If a fire broke out in that area, it could get out of control very quickly, posing a significant threat to nearby communities,” said the spokesperson.

Harvested areas will be replanted and planting new trees typically occurs a year or two after harvesting, the spokesperson added.

Rempel doesn’t accept thee response.

“They must think we are really naïve and will take anything for an excuse,” he said.

Rempel acknowledges the fact a severe ice storm in 2012 did cause significant damage to trees in the forest. Many of these fallen, dead trees can still be seen while touring the area.

“This is three years plus after the fact [2012 snow event] that you’re going to do something about the snow damage. There is downfall every year from windfall, etc. and they never clean up those forests,” said Rempel.

“Yes, there are a lot of trees because of the snow damage, but if they’re going to say half of those trees are because of the beetle infestation, why don’t they just select those trees and leave the healthy trees behind?”

Rempel also questions why the province is clearcutting all the species of trees out of the affected area. He said research he’s done into the pine bark engraver infestation suggests the problem won’t be solved by clearcutting all the trees in the area. Looking at the tree logs, Rempel said, no indication of insect infestation can be seen.

Rempel hopes to have another town hall meeting with officials from the provincial government so residents can get answers, like why they weren’t told this would be happening to their home.

“We’re trying to maintain the greenspace for the future, for our children and grandchildren. But what’s happening here is they will never experience the forest the way we have,” said Rempel. “It’s totally gone.”