Created March 17th 2025
To my surprise and dismay they (the City) decided to close the forest this winter. Really? This seems so counterintuitive.
I’ve been walking in this forest for years and this came as quite the shock. Why would they do this?
This forest is within walking distance or a short drive from my home, as well as so many others. Now we are being told we can’t go into this forest anymore.
It’s public land and from my awareness there was no discussion about this decision.
There was quite the response from other trailers users, which also were shocked and upset about this newly forced restriction.
This is where it gets even more interesting. Watching how people responded. First by tearing down some of the smaller “Trail closed” signs.
City staff were then paid to create obstructions on the trails.
Didn’t take long before someone moved the logs off the trail. This basically happened almost everywhere.
What’s really interesting is what happened next. In this situation blocking the original “organically established” trail inspired the creation of three new routes around the obstacles.
The tracks in the snow show exactly what is happening. The red line indicates the original trail that’s been blocked and the yellow lines show the response.
In summary, to me this is exactly what we don’t want to do—restrict people from connecting with nature, especially in such an accessible and vital location.
Here’s the latest attempt to force control and restriction. The melting snow is reviewing more:
Is cutting down trees and creating obstacles/hazards on the trails the right thing to do? Should city staff be paid to do this?
My question now is, where does this end? A fence, patrols, fines, any other ideas?
I believe we need to inspire and encourage more people to get out in places like this to re-connect with nature.
I’m not apposed to the main trial (or gravel road), which is good for accessibility, however, it is certainly has a much greater impact on the forest than the organic trails that evolve naturally through and for us, and the other animals that use them.