Ottawa airport authority to clear cut forest despite opposition

The Ottawa airport authority will move ahead with clear cutting a forest on Hunt Club Road citing public safety concerns, despite thousands of people signing a petition opposing the plan.

The Ottawa airport authority will move ahead with clear cutting a forest on Hunt Club Road citing public safety concerns, despite thousands of people signing a petition opposing the plan.

In a letter addressed to Ottawa residents and the Hunt Club community on Monday, the airport authority called the decision "difficult" but necessary, given "this neglected plantation's dangerous state."

"While we understand that there will be members of the community upset by this news, safety is of paramount importance to the Ottawa Airport Authority," reads the letter, posted on its website. It has explored other options, including a land swap with the city, but those were "proven unattainable."

It said assessments, including from the City of Ottawa, have all concluded the forest has remained neglected for decades — leaving the trees "in poor condition and are unable to support their own weight" and susceptible to breaking in extreme weather. It added the site "lacks significant wildlife presence and biodiversity overall" with frequent occurrences of trespassing, illegal dumping and vandalism.

The authority said the only way to make sure the area is safe is if the airport authority removes the trees. "The failure to proceed with the tree removal on this site poses a tangible and immediate threat to public safety, which we cannot overlook," the letter continued.

The airport authority concluded by saying it would begin clear cutting in the days or weeks to come. Once cleared, the land will be marketed for development.