Revised: Tuesday, November 21, 2023*

References:

• City of Ottawa Memo to Mayor and Members of Council, November 2023
• Assessment of a Red Pine Plantation near Hunt Club Road, Ottawa (Prepared for the City of Ottawa by FSmith Consulting Inc., Peterborough, Ontario), May 22, 2023 

To: Ottawa Residents and the Hunt Club Community

Re: Hunt Club Pine Plantation

The Ottawa Airport Authority has made the difficult decision to move ahead with the clearing of the Hunt Club Pine Plantation.

Our decision to remove the trees is motivated by our commitment to safeguarding the well-being of Ottawa residents and the Hunt Club community by mitigating the risks associated with this neglected plantation’s dangerous state. While we understand that there will be members of the community upset by this news, safety is of paramount importance to the Ottawa Airport Authority.

This decision was not taken lightly, and all options were explored to find a mutually agreeable solution, including a land swap with the City of Ottawa in replacement of 400 Hunt Club Road. Regrettably, they have proven unattainable.

The third-party Red Pines plantation research findings are consistent, including the City of Ottawa’s May 2023 FSmith Consulting study. Additional investigations carried out by McKinley Environmental Solutions in 2021, alongside assessments conducted by our own consultants in 2021 and 2002, have yielded unequivocal results:

1. The site in question is a Red Pine tree plantation established in the late 1950s or early 1960s for the purpose of harvesting for telephone poles and dimensional lumber.
2. Typically, plantations of this nature require regular thinning to stimulate desired growth responses in the trees for forest product production. However, this essential maintenance was neglected on this land.
3. Commercial thinning should have occurred approximately every decade, with the final harvest anticipated between 2023 and 2033.
4. Due to the lack of management, the trees on this land are in poor condition and are unable to support their own weight, especially under the forces of wind, snow, and other environmental factors.
5. The trees on the land are prone to falling/stem failure, particularly during and after significant weather events.
6. The site lacks significant wildlife presence and biodiversity overall.
7. Frequent trespassing, litter, illegal waste dumping, vandalism, and fire pits have been observed on the premises.
8. Having reviewed all pertinent information, including comprehensive reports from external consultants, the Authority has made the decision to proceed with the removal of trees.

Safety is of paramount importance to the Airport Authority. At this point, the failure to proceed with the tree removal on this site poses a tangible and immediate threat to public safety, which we cannot overlook. In light of recent natural disasters, such as the derecho, more intense snow and ice events, as well as an increasing fire risk, we have a responsibility to mitigate the safety issues posed by the current state of this site. Given these circumstances, we intend to commence tree removal in the days or weeks ahead pending final planning and contractor requirements. Following the clearing of the area, it is our intention, in line with our mandate and the area’s zoning, to market the land for development.

Our decision to remove the Pines plantation trees is motivated by our commitment to safeguarding the well-being of Ottawa residents and the Hunt Club community by mitigating the risks associated with this site’s dangerous state. We are committed to proper environmental stewardship of all airport lands as set out and enumerated in our Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) report.

We trust that the community will recognize that this difficult decision is made in the interest of safety.

Ottawa International Airport Authority

*Point #8 edited for clarity.