| Clearing the Channel
With the opening ceremony just completed, the work crew immediately started confirming the survey of the cut-line of the new creek. After clearing access points to the creek, the next step in creating the new stream channel is to remove the trees which are either in the new channel, or that will interfere with the functioning and maneuverability of the excavators. Although great effort will be made to preserve as many trees as possible, a certain number must be removed.
NIFI worker Mike Dick and Environmental
Monitor Dan Burnard decide on which
trees must come down and to clear
the path for the excavators.
Anywhere between 5-10 Alder trees will fall in the first 170 meters of new stream channel. All the logging within these first 170 meters was set to be completed the first afternoon following the opening ceremony. To minimize the impact to the surrounding area trees will be felled with the assistance of an excavator. The plan is to attach a cable to the tree to add a little pressure to it in order to control the direction, persuading the tree to come down in the desired spot. Attempts will be made to land the trees along the proposed stream course to facilitate their removal, and to avoid crushing and damaging surrounding vegetation.
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Some of the labour in this project is provided by workers trained through the North Island Fisheries Initiative program. Mike Dick and Arnold Wilson were hired last week after completing their NIFI program, to assist the machinery in creating the channel. Mike Dick has volunteered his experience to take on the responsibility of low impact logging strategies in the new creek. He will be responsible for much of the falling.
The larger excavator will take care of the main digging, while its smaller counterpart will
bring the channel up to specifications.
The tracks of the large excavator measure about four meters wide, and the total width that the machine will need to operate is a minimum of 10 meters. A path this wide will allow the large excavator to maneuver, but often in a very limited capacity. It will be essential for the operators of the machines to exercise a little finesse and precision when working throughout the next couple of months, in order to keep with the low impact theme.
Once the trees are down, the path will be clear to start the digging of the new channel. Check out future issues of the Creekside News to stay on top of the restoration project’s progress.
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