Danger tree work will be happening in the S’ul-hween X’pey (Elder Cedar) Nature Reserve throughout February – March. This is a notice to all public that the reserve will be closed while this work is happening, and to please not enter the Nature Reserve when you see signage present. We are working with the Gabriola Land and Trails Trust to ensure signage is placed on the trail at the entrances to the Nature Reserve on days when work is happening.
This work is weather dependent, so the exact days of work are unknown. We will post pictures and updates to the Islands Trust Conservancy social media channels when work is commencing.
The work is being done by a local, on-island arborist who is removing the danger of standing dead or leaning trees that are directly on the trail, which could cause harm to trail users. Instructions have been provided to the arborist to protect the ecological integrity of the area by:
- Leaving the dangerous trees standing as tall as is safe to be wildlife trees
- Potential compaction from heavy machinery will be avoided wherever possible
- All cut wood will remain on the nature reserve, along the forest floor, to naturally decompose. Small branches will be left as close to the ground as possible for quicker decomposition and to avoid ladder fuels in the event of a fire
We apologize to any trail users for any inconvenience this causes, and hope to have the trails open again once it is safe.
