Some of the trails in Boisé Larocque are closed because of salvage logging work in the Alfred community woods.

Manon Besner, Alfred-Plantagenet parks and recreation director, explained that the salvage logging is necessary to remove trees damaged or toppled during last year’s severe windstorm in May and ice and wind storms in the region earlier this year.

“The area involved is about one hectare,” Besner said during an interview August 3. “It’s about one-third of the red pine plantation.”

Some salvage harvesting was done last year and the current operation is meant to complete the work of removing toppled trees and those that were uprooted but have not yet fallen or are damaged in other ways. These trees can pose a risk for anyone using the trails in that section of the woods for walking or cycling in the spring, summer and autumn, or snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in the winter.

Ott Family Logging of Eganville was contracted to do the salvage logging. While the red pine section of the woods is closed to the public until the work is done, trails in other parts of the forest remain open for use.

Besner noted that the salvage logging should be finished by the end of August. The salvaged wood will be sold on the timber market. Ott Family Logging will get some of the proceeds and the township will use its share to fund future treeplanting work in Boisé Larocque and also for local recreational infrastructure improvements.