Meadow Lake citizens review draft plans for Meadow Lake Provincial Park forest clearing (Nicole Reis / meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Nicole Reis

Open House Reaction

Community surprised by forest harvest plans at provincial park

Nov 14, 2019 | 8:19 AM

Some members in the community say they are feeling overlooked regarding moves by the Meadow Lake Provincial Park to potentially deforested some parts in the coming months.

The concerns come after two information sessions were conducted in the district on Wednesday, both in Greig Lake and in Meadow Lake. They were poorly attended and the majority of residents who did show up said they were not adequately informed or found out about the session hours prior.

It was mentioned at the meeting that a contract has been awarded to Tolko Industries and Carrier Forest Products by the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport and the Ministry of the Environment to perform a controlled harvesting of the site in an effort to protect against the mountain pine beetle and to prevent further decay in parts of the aging forest. Prescribed burns could also done should experts deem it appropriate.

Pink highlighted areas show areas for possible harvesting(Nicole Reis / meadowlakeNOW Staff)

Members of Tolko Industries assured residents that their efforts will not damage healthy timber.

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Meanwhile, Leslie and Rick Morgenstern attended both meetings because they said the volume of concern at the Greig Lake session prevented them from having their questions answered.

“Everybody that I’ve spoken to who has cottages up there never knew about the meeting until the weekend afterward. So I don’t know who went to the [previous] meetings. That’s what I’m disappointed about,” Rick said.

“We didn’t hear about December’s meeting. We didn’t even get a notice,” Leslie said.

A letter was said to have been sent by Tolko dated Nov.1 which circulated on Facebook nearly one week later.

The project is expected to clear 400 hectares of land each year with its end goal of reaching 3,100 hectares of harvested forest.

Meadow Lake residents expressed a number of concerns including the project’s oversight, effects on environment and wildlife, fate of cabins located on park grounds, and infrastructure concerns, along with the sentiments of feeling last to be informed.

Cheryl Dodds, acting city clerk, said she was unaware of the project and heard about the meeting hours prior to attending.

Pat Mackasey, Park Forest Ecologist with the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport explains the purpose of the harvesting project. (Nicole Reis / meadowlakeNOW Staff)

Pat Mackasey, Park Forest Ecologist with the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport said he has heard the concerns of stakeholders and knows what work needs to be done moving forward. He says the forest operating plan has yet to be drafted or approved and the consultation processes still needs to unfold.

“If we feel as a planning team that it’s too rushed or too soon, the window to do operations typically ends by the end of February due to cyclical weather and warmer temps. We might make a decision to defer it until next year,” Mackasey said.

Mackasey added citizens can stay involved and review plans as they are drafted. Residents can have their concerns heard by contacting Rod Pshebnicki at (306)922-0319 or Chad Wilkinson at (306)922-0013 for information about the forest operating plan or Pat Mackasey for Saskatchewan Parks concerns at 306-953-2880.

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Editor’s note: this story has been amended to make clear the total amount of proposed harvested forest will be 3,100 hectares not 31,000 as initially reported.

nicolereis@jpbg.ca

@nicolereis7722