Three tree tours

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Published on Thursday, August 21, 2014

By Donna Morken

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This summer the board of Manitoba Hydro Forest Enhancement Program stopped in Rivers to take a look at the latest tree planting projects they have supported. The projects included trees planted in the school yards and around Riverdale Community Centre. The program is sponsored by Manitoba Hydro’s vice president of the Transmission Business Unit. 

Its management is assigned mostly from Manitoba Hydro's transmission construction and line maintenance division with planning, decision and implementation support from an internal Manitoba Hydro Forest Enhancement Steering Committee. There is also an external Forest Enhancement Program Advisory Committee which assists in evaluating requests. The selection of members is guided by the need for expertise and competence in evaluating tree planting, innovative forest and forest education projects.  Some of these members are comprised from the forestry industry throughout Manitoba (eg. government of Manitoba forestry division, City of Winnipeg forester/arborist, etc.). They were very pleased with what they saw and it is evident that their program really works.

Manitoba Hydro also trims mature trees to free overhead lines but they do not do follow-up trimming of the entire tree. Recent work along the 400 block of Quebec Street resulted in some very lopsided-looking trees.