If a tree falls in the forest...
...it may have had some help.
Parks Canada crews will be hard at work this fall and into the winter removing hazardous trees from many of the park’s campgrounds and day use areas. As the forests in these high use areas age, the risk of trees falling increases due to natural forest succession, insect infestation, disease or human caused damage.
Throughout the year, trained staff assess trees in these areas looking for signs of weakness. Trees that appear to pose an imminent risk are removed immediately, while others are tagged and monitored. Now that the operational season is over in these campgrounds and day use areas, the tagged trees and any others deemed hazardous are being removed.
To ensure your safety and the safety of the crews, temporary closures will be in effect where tree felling is occurring. Please watch for closure signs and avoid areas where crews and equipment are at work.
This summer, work in Jasper’s backcountry required skills reminiscent of the good ol’ days.
In August, the long list of duties for a backcountry fieldwork trip on the North Boundary Trail included removing hazardous trees threatening some of the area’s patrol cabins and outbuildings. Offering a glimpse into Jasper National Park’s history, these cabins are used today to access monitoring and research sites throughout the park.
A seemingly daunting task for two people in the backcountry, Resource Conservation staff Patti Walker and Al McKeeman were up for the challenge. Al’s tree felling training was put to good use as he skillfully aimed falling trees into tight spaces, successfully avoiding buildings and fencing.
The next step was to move these fallen trees, so Oyster, the newly trained skid horse, joined the team effort. As Al felled the trees, Patti and Oyster moved in to haul them off to the wood shed where they would be bucked up for firewood. Evoking images of simpler times, it offers a poignant reminder to take the time to get back to basics and live in the moment. Leave technology behind for even an hour, and step into the Jasper wilderness, where time has a way of staying still
