A beautiful morning to go out for my daily walk in the Grey Nuns White Spruce Park. The ice of the river is still thick enough to walk across and so I did. On the other side I was welcomed by the loud noise of machinery. To my utter dismay I see a kind of wood-pulverizing tractor destroying everything in its path except spruce trees. Splintered pieces of wood flying about like deadly projectiles.
I turned around to go to one of the trails I am familiar with but was unable to locate it. All the deciduous trees and dead-stands had been cut down and were pulverized. So much for finding any woodpeckers here any more.
On the main road (Hogan) I noticed several workmen. I asked what is going on here and since they sensed that I was kind of ticked off (mildly put) they suggested I better talk to the boss. Having had my talk with the boss whom I actually know, (the city's arborist) a second person drove up. Peter Murphy (professor emeritus in forestry U of A). He explained to me it was done to regenerate the white spruce park with more white spruces.
To me this was total chaos. I respectfully disagree with Mr. Murphy's philosophy with regards to this kind of managing. Sure we do have several introduced tree species here, i.e. mountain ash, elderberry and highbush cranberry but they attract a variety of birds that eat the fruits in winter, like Bohemian waxwings and Pine grosbeaks. I think forestry people hate birds because they disperse the seeds and will continue to do so no matter what. Oh, but perhaps we should get rid of the birds, now that is an idea.
I am sure I am speaking the minds of many of St. Albert's residents that have enjoyed the “spruce lot” like I have for close to 50 years. Birdwatchers and dog walkers love it the way it is but that is a thing of the past. “Man” cannot always manage (control) the way Mother Nature does her thing. With this kind of action it is no wonder our songbird populations are declining. Will the next “improvement” be manicured lawns with picnic tables and asphalt trails ? How dare St. Albert calls itself “Botanical City?” Perhaps I better go and find another area and, oh yeah, Mr. Murphy mentioned: “It will grow back.” Sure it will but I won't be around to enjoy it. These are just an “armchair naturalist’s” thoughts and in the headline, "ART," stands for Absolute Repulsive Treeterrorisme. I rest my case.
Ludo Bogaert, St. Albert
