Saskatoon Saskatchewan - A Saskatoon city councillor says he's hopeful Canadian Pacific (CP) will work with him and community associations to replant some of the 2,000 trees that were clear-cut from an embankment recently.
 
CP recently removed nearly every tree from an embankment along 33rd Street, residents in the area say.
 
Beginning near the South Saskatchewan Riverbank, the seven-metre-wide cut runs west for roughly one kilometre.
 
Ward 1 Councillor Darren Hill said there wasn't any consultation before the trees were chopped.
 
Hill said CP is usually a good community partner and that he works closely with them regularly on other matters, so the lack of consultation and notice surprised him.
 
"I was told that CP was following federal regulations with regards to how much vegetation needs to be cut back from the rail lines," Hill said Sunday.
 
It took a while for CP to get back to him on the details, Hill said.
 
But since getting in touch with them, he has asked for a few things:

• An apology for the clear-cut and the poor communication;
• An explanation for why the trees were cut;
• A promise from CP to work with the community to look at a replanting plan that's compliant with federal regulations.

Hill said not all the trees had to be cut and that they served as a sound barrier for the community.
 
He said some of the trees were 50-years-old.
 
"Unfortunately we're not going to get the same size of trees back but I'm pretty confident that CP is going to work with us to get some plantings back in this area," Hill said.
 
Hill noted it's possible fire suppression and sight lines were a motivator in CP's decision to clear-cut the embankment, but it's possible to be safe and keep vegetation near rail lines.
 
According to Hill, CP is planning on responding to his requests early next week.
 
CBC has reached out to the company for comment.
 
When reached last week, CP officials declined an interview request, but emailed a statement saying CP conducts a "comprehensive annual vegetation management program across its rail network" and that safety "is integral to CP's long-term success and the foundation of everything we do."
 
The email did not specifically address the Saskatoon situation.
 
Author unknown.

  I don't apologize for cutting trees on my own property... gim'me a break!