More than 800 people have signed a petition calling on the City of 琉璃神社 and the provincial government to cancel a pilot wildfire mitigation project that would see cattle grazing a popular trail access site located above Gallagher鈥檚 Canyon.
The 鈥榯argeted grazing鈥� program would see 50 cows deployed to Crown land above Field Road and Gallagher鈥檚 Canyon in Southeast 琉璃神社 to have them eat grasses and other tinder to mitigate fire risk.
With some trees and other natural fuel starters in the area already cleared, the cows are scheduled to arrive sometime in May or June to spend three weeks grazing the grass on the 60-hectare parcel. Partially barbed wire fencing, spring-loaded gates and cattle guards are also planned for the KLO Creek-Myra Canyon area to manage and contain the cattle.
鈥淭he cows are only going to be at the site for about three weeks in the spring every year, and that鈥檚 it. We have these spring-loaded gates that鈥檒l be in place for when the cattle are there, and when the cattle leave, we鈥檒l take the gates off,鈥� said Andrew Hunsberger, the urban forestry supervisor at the City of 琉璃神社.
Organizers of the petition are concerned that the project will impact the area鈥檚 access to the trails and have detrimental effects on the environment.
Daphne Richard, the vice president of Friends of the South Slopes (FOSS), said that she understands concerns raised in the petition.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e about talking about permanent fencing here. We鈥檙e concerned that some of the trails will have some access around,鈥� said Richard. 鈥淏ut one of the maps that shows where the fencing is going, it鈥檚 very close to private property and virtually not enough area to create other trails around.鈥�
FOSS maintains trails surrounding the area, and Richard said that the area is a key link to connecting trail users from KLO Creek Regional Park to Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park.
鈥淥ur opinion is that it鈥檚 just maybe the wrong site. Our goal 鈥� and what we鈥檝e been working towards in terms of the south slopes 鈥� we鈥檇 love to have this area become part of KLO Creek Regional Park,鈥� she said.
Hunsberger said trail-users can open the gates during the three-week period that they鈥檙e there. However, he reiterated that the fencing won鈥檛 impact access to the trails.
鈥淭here will be opportunities to walk on the outside of this fenced area,鈥� said Hunsberger. 鈥淲e left trails around the outside of the fenced area to walk through. You can walk around, or you can walk through.鈥�
The petition is hoping to raise 1,000 signatures before May 10 to close the opportunity to erect a fence.
鈥淯ltimately, we would like to see them find another site and do this experiment. We would really like to retain this area as it is today, with trails for the public,鈥� said Richard.
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aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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