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trees going to the chipper

Chopped: Fruit trees on trails to be removed

Oct 4, 2019 | 3:41 PM

Some wild fruit trees along popular local trails will be headed for the chipper. The Greater Vernon Advisory Committee voted to remove the trees at their committee meeting Thursday.

The recommendation to remove the trees came after the Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release program expressed concerns about tree infestation from the coddling moth.

During the meeting, Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming asked RDNO staff about the number of trees on the trails that would need to be removed.

“I’m just trying to get a sense of scale, is this two trees or 50 trees?” Cumming asked.

“I believe its four trees,” the RDNO staff member replied.

In a report to the board, the Okanagan Insect Sterile Release program noted an apple tree of concern on the rail trail, four apple trees of concern at the Grey Canal Trail-Malim Road access and one apple tree of concern on the Baker Hogg Road access to the Grey Canal Trail.

“Given the infestation, they pose a threat and need to stripped of all fruit or cut down,” a letter from the senior field monitor from the Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release program read.

“This is just a lot of song and dance for a few trees,” the mayor said.

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