In February 2024, the GRCA began work thinning the conifer plantations at the southwest portion of Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area. The project was not completed last year due to unfavourable weather and site conditions. The work has now resumed and may continue through to March 15, 2025. See below for updates and impacts to property use and trails.
View a map (596 KB PDF) showing the areas of the conifer plantation which are being thinned. Please note this document may not be accessible to people with disabilities. If you have a disability and require this document in an alternate format, please contact us.
Impacts to property use and trails
- Effective January 11, 2025, the plantations being thinned (and some surrounding areas) will be closed. Please click on the map link above for more details on where the closure is taking place.
- Signs will be posted along the roadways entering the area.
- Closures are for safety reasons. During the thinning operation, heavy machinery will be cutting trees and moving logs throughout the site.
History of Luther Marsh forest plantations
The Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area is a 5,900-hectare property centred around Luther Lake, which was created by Luther Dam in 1954. Surrounding the 1,400-hectare lake are wetlands, grasslands, meadows and forests providing habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.
Most of the area surrounding Luther Marsh was historically cleared for agriculture. Ambitious reforestation projects have been occurring on the property since the late 1950s, resulting in large areas being planted with a mix of White Pine, Spruce, European Larch, White Cedar, Red Pine, and some hardwood species such as White Ash and White/Red Oak. Much of the 62 hectares of plantation scheduled for management were previously thinned in 1988. Several areas were also planted in the early 1980s and are currently being thinned for the first time.
Thinning operations
Approximately 62 hectares of conifer plantation are being thinned. Trees have been marked for removal using orange tree marking paint. A contractor will be cutting trees that were marked for removal using large forestry equipment. They will remove the portions of the trees that can be used for timber products. Smaller logs and branches will be left on the forest floor to provide cover for wildlife and replenish the soil as they decay.
Thinning will change the appearance of these forests. The canopy will be more open, allowing more sunlight to reach the ground. This will promote the growth of younger trees and shrubs that have established there, or in the case of first thinning, promote their establishment. Over time, through repeated conifer thinning, the site will have a greater diversity of trees, shrubs, and understory plants - improving the overall health and beauty of the forest!
Visit our plantation restoration page to learn more.