Current forest projects

Starting November 2025, GRCA will begin a project to thin the conifer plantations at Chesney Wilderness Area. See below for current updates and anticipated impacts to property use and trails.

View a map (886 KB PDF) showing the areas of conifer plantation 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 

• There are no impacts at this time.
• During the thinning operation, heavy machinery will be felling trees and moving logs throughout the site.
• To ensure safety, the property (and trails) will be closed while operations are underway. Signage will be posted at the main access points to inform the public of the closure. 

Thinning Operations

Approximately 26 hectares of conifer plantation will be thinned in total. 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 thinnings, 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.

Conifer plantation thinning at the southwest portion of See below for current updates and impacts to property use and trails. Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area has been taking place intermittently since February 2024. The project is currently on hold and is expected to resume in January 2026. See below for current updates and anticipated 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 

• There are no impacts at this time.
• The plantations being thinned (and some surrounding areas) will be closed when operations resume. Signs will be posted along the roadways entering the area to inform the public. 
• 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 centered 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.

Approximately 65 hectares of conifer plantations at the northeast and east portions of Guelph Lake Conservation Area have recently been thinned and the project is now complete. Thinning has changed the appearance of these forests. The canopy is now more open, allowing more sunlight to reach the ground and promoting the establishment of desirable species. As a result, we will be underplanting over 20 hectares of these plantations this spring with a diverse mix of trees, shrubs, and understory plants.  Additionally, smaller logs and branches have been left on the forest floor to provide cover for wildlife and replenish the soil as they decay. Over time, and through repeated conifer thinnings, the site will have a greater diversity of plants and animals – improving the overall health and beauty of the forest!

Visit our plantation restoration page to learn more.

View a map (726 KB PDF) showing the areas of conifer plantation that were thinned. Please note this document may not be accessible to people with disabilities. If you have a disability or require this document in an alternate format, please contact us.

Starting January 2025, GRCA began a project to thin the conifer plantations at Baxendale East/West and Ritchie Tracts. The Baxendale East and Ritchie Tract projects are complete; however, Baxendale West remains incomplete. We anticipate upcoming closures at Baxendale West starting again in early 2026. See below for current updates and anticipated impacts to property use and trails.

View a map (922 KB PDF) showing the areas of conifer plantation 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 

• There are no impacts at this time.
• Baxendale West will be closed when operations resume. Signs will be posted at the main entrance to inform the public. 
• Closures are for safety reasons. Heavy machinery will be moving logs off the site.

Thinning Operations

Approximately 32 hectares of conifer plantation will be thinned in total across the three properties. 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 thinnings, 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.