Photo supplied. Pictured is GRCA Forester Gus Saurer surveying blowdown on single track and double track trails in the West / Central Ganaraska Forest ahead of salvage operations.
The Ganaraska Forest has been closed since the May long weekend, when the severe windstorm that wreaked havoc across the region delivered a particularly devastating blow to this popular recreational hub.
There have been occasional updates issued by the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) regarding the extensive recovery operations required to allow users back into the forest. A few trails opened in early October, but most of the forest remains closed. GRCA Communications Manager Craig Smith reports that despite the extensive recovery efforts to date, many trails remain impassable. Significant areas covered by downed trees continue to restrict access to the main trail entry points and systems in the western section of the forest beside Boundary and Porter Roads, as well as the central forest trailhead at the Forest Centre. There are also many isolated blowdown locations scattered throughout the west and central forest areas, impacting many trail systems.
Current forest rehabilitation activity includes significant logging operations which began in mid-July throughout the west and central forests, where salvage and annual harvest activities continue. Some of these operate along trails, so access must be restricted or prohibited to allow these activities to be concluded quickly and safely.
To compensate for the lack of access to the forest, Ganaraska Forest memberships purchased between June 1, 2021 and May 21, 2022 will receive a 12-month extension from the original membership expiry date, except cross country ski memberships. Those that expired during the closure period will receive a 6-month hiking membership.
Users have grown impatient with the progress of the reopening and what they perceive as a lack of meaningful communications between the GRCA and its members. Some of them established a petition to get some traction. The petition describes frustration with the speed of the recovery effort, the poor communication regarding the trail recovery plan and the lack of engagement of a “large network of qualified volunteers”, and has attracted more than 1500 signatures. A letter published by Today’s Northumberland on October 12th also accused GRCA staff of using the recovery effort as a cover to re-write the 20-year Multi-use forest plan which was developed in 2018 after much analysis and public input.
Last week, the GRCA Board issued more details regarding the ongoing efforts and outlined the criteria they are using to decide when to open each trail. Trails will reopen when they are cleared, are not impacted by harvesting or salvage logging operations, and when they connect to a complete looped trail system from a designated parking lot, and have not been identified for closure for other reasons. Criteria for road and trail system placement within the forest include ecological considerations, adequate emergency access, sufficient parking on GRCA property, do not use a Municipal Right of Way without explicit municipal permission to do so, pass no closer than 100 meters to a residence, and do not end at a property line.
The Board reiterated that public safety concerns resulting from logging and salvage operations and trail hazards are the primary reason for the extremely limited access to recreational trails. They also indicated that when ecological attributes of the Forest are being significantly impacted by continued trail use or where trails conflict with neighbouring municipal / private properties, permanent trail closures may be required. Increased and improved signage is planned throughout the Forest and trails to make users aware of their responsibilities and obligations. KG
