Bowing to pressure, NCC agrees to plant trees along Mud Lake trail
The National Capital Commission has agreed to return a forest trail it “clear cut” in Mud Lake to something like its original condition.
A contractor cut a wide swath along a forest trail in January. On paper, it was a plan to remove dead ash trees that might fall on someone, but neighbours soon found the new trail was as wide as a road.
It was also covered with chippedup wood from the cut trees — environmentally friendly, the NCC argued, but the neighbours weren’t buying that, either.
A formal NCC plan for the area, written in 2004, called for this isolated trail to be a narrow walking path through the trees, and specifically one without mulched wood.
After a meeting last week hosted by Anita Vandenbeld, the Liberal MP for Ottawa West-Nepean, the NCC has agreed to return to that plan. It will narrow the trail again by planting trees.
“Most of the wood chips located on the trail will be removed and the remainder will be used to create rings around the 75 new trees that will be planted this spring and trees we intend on planting in the future,” the agency says in an email.
“Where we are unable to remove wood chips, we will ensure no more than 4 cm of thickness on the ground to allow local vegetation to grow. The work will be done according to the 2004 Plan for Mud Lake, which states that the path will be at a maximum of 1.2 m (metres) in width.”
The forest and wetland around Mud Lake are designated as provincially significant. They are also a designated “Area of Natural and Scientific Interest” in Ottawa, similar to Mer Bleue, the Burnt Lands, Stony Swamp and Shirleys Bay.
Reaction to the news among the neighbours ranged from cautious to pleased.
“That (NCC plan) seems like the bare minimum,” said Annie Boucher, president of the Lincoln Heights Community Association. She said she wants to see the details of what will be planted where and when, following the “carnage” of the original cutting.
“It just really looked like somebody who did not know what they were doing was sent in there to just go nuts. Honestly, it does not look like there was any direction or supervision whatsoever.”
Boucher said there was no communication with community groups before the cutting, but only a single NCC email saying there would be cutting along a bike path on open ground at the forest’s edge. “That is why it was such a shock ... They need to improve that for sure.”
The NCC says in its email: “Throughout our Emerald Ash Borer battle, we have consistently communicated with the local communities through their associations and elected officials. We are committed to continue and improve this communication.”
Naturalist Dan Brunton, a local resident who drew up much of the 2004 plan, called it “a grand day for the conservation area” and said Vandenbeld deserves much of the credit.
“I hope word of this really positive community action and political leadership gets out to encourage other communities with issues at hand,” he said. “If they do their homework, don’t get too wrapped up in outrage and stick to their guns, good things can happen.”