‘ENORMOUS CLEARCUT’

Loss of trees on trail sparks concern

The loss of dozens of mature trees along the Meewasin trail last month will be reviewed to see if the Meewasin Valley Authority, when it embarks on future trail renovations, can strike a better balance between improving the trail network and protecting the environment.

“When the trees were cut down and removed I would say that it was dramatic and it was probably more dramatic than anybody anticipated,” Mayor Charlie Clark said during an environment committee meeting Monday.

“Our urban forest is one of our most treasured assets and we don’t want to take it lightly.”

Trees along the Meewasin trail, between the old Mendel building and the weir, were cut down in early April so the trail can be widened to four metres.

Two people appeared before council’s environment committee to express their dismay about the process.

“This is an enormous clearcut,” Saskatoon resident Jake Buhler told the committee.

“We lost an integrated wood land, we lost bird habitat, feeding area, heritage trees considered special by First Nations.”

Buhler said some of the chopped down trees were at least 75 years old.

Richard Kerbes, who represents the urban forest advocacy group SOS Elms Coalition, called the Meewasin Valley Authority’s actions an “attack” on the city’s trees.

“We question if it’s necessary to cut them back in order to widen the trail. Did the trail really need to be widened that much?” he asked during a presentation to committee.

Clark asked city administration to review what happened when the trees were removed and Coun. Hilary Gough recommended that future reports on trail widening include information on how work will affect natural habitats.

Alan Otterbein, manager of design and development with the Meewasin Valley Authority, said the organization always strives to develop trails in ways “keeping with the natural state of the river valley,” but that “there’s simply no way to build a trail through the river valley without having some impacts.”

Coun. Sarina Gersher, who previously worked for the Meewasin Valley Authority and was involved in its trail use study that informed its decision to widen the trail, said something needed to be done about the 35-year-old path.

“It was not accessible. I witnessed somebody kind of taking a run up the hill with somebody on a wheelchair to kind of get that leverage and that’s tough to watch,” she said.

The widened section of the Meewasin trail is expected to open this fall.