More than 800 people have signed a petition calling on the City of Kelowna and the provincial government to cancel a pilot wildfire mitigation project that would see cattle grazing a popular trail access site located above Gallaghersa国际传媒檚 Canyon.

The sa国际传媒榯argeted grazingsa国际传媒� program would see 50 cows deployed to Crown land above Field Road and Gallaghersa国际传媒檚 Canyon in Southeast Kelowna to have them eat grasses and other tinder to mitigate fire risk.

With some trees and other natural fuel starters in the area already cleared, the cows are scheduled to arrive sometime in May or June to spend three weeks grazing the grass on the 60-hectare parcel. Partially barbed wire fencing, spring-loaded gates and cattle guards are also planned for the KLO Creek-Myra Canyon area to manage and contain the cattle.

sa国际传媒淭he cows are only going to be at the site for about three weeks in the spring every year, and thatsa国际传媒檚 it. We have these spring-loaded gates thatsa国际传媒檒l be in place for when the cattle are there, and when the cattle leave, wesa国际传媒檒l take the gates off,sa国际传媒� said Andrew Hunsberger, the urban forestry supervisor at the City of Kelowna.

Organizers of the petition are concerned that the project will impact the areasa国际传媒檚 access to the trails and have detrimental effects on the environment.

Daphne Richard, the vice president of Friends of the South Slopes (FOSS), said that she understands concerns raised in the petition.

sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e about talking about permanent fencing here. Wesa国际传媒檙e concerned that some of the trails will have some access around,sa国际传媒� said Richard. sa国际传媒淏ut one of the maps that shows where the fencing is going, itsa国际传媒檚 very close to private property and virtually not enough area to create other trails around.sa国际传媒�

FOSS maintains trails surrounding the area, and Richard said that the area is a key link to connecting trail users from KLO Creek Regional Park to Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park.

sa国际传媒淥ur opinion is that itsa国际传媒檚 just maybe the wrong site. Our goal sa国际传媒� and what wesa国际传媒檝e been working towards in terms of the south slopes sa国际传媒� wesa国际传媒檇 love to have this area become part of KLO Creek Regional Park,sa国际传媒� she said.

Hunsberger said trail-users can open the gates during the three-week period that theysa国际传媒檙e there. However, he reiterated that the fencing wonsa国际传媒檛 impact access to the trails.

sa国际传媒淭here will be opportunities to walk on the outside of this fenced area,sa国际传媒� said Hunsberger. sa国际传媒淲e left trails around the outside of the fenced area to walk through. You can walk around, or you can walk through.sa国际传媒�

The petition is hoping to raise 1,000 signatures before May 10 to close the opportunity to erect a fence.

sa国际传媒淯ltimately, we would like to see them find another site and do this experiment. We would really like to retain this area as it is today, with trails for the public,sa国际传媒� said Richard.

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aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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