Massive old tree symbolizes fight
Group seeks to save virgin forest in city
The Winnipeg Free Press
Sunday, October 19th, 2003
By Paul Turenne

ONLY a few hundred yards from a busy stretch of St. Anne's Road stands a giant that has watched over the area since before the invention of the cars, buses and motorcycles that whiz by all day.

The 30-metre plains cottonwood, located in a small park along the Seine River just north of John Bruce Road, is thought to be the tallest tree in the city.

Hundreds of people gathered beneath its protective crown yesterday to enjoy the day in a nearby virgin patch of forest that could soon be dug up and paved over.

"My best girlfriend got married under this tree five years ago," said Bev Sawchuk, president of Save Our Seine, a group fighting to preserve the untouched forest along the east side of the Seine River from development.

"It's huge. It's pretty neat," said St. Vital resident Jorden Brooks, relaxing beneath the tree with her daughter Cameo at yesterday's Save Our Seine (SOS) barbecue, which the group held to raise awareness about its efforts to purchase some of the land nearby and create a park.

Barbecue-goer Jack Foster said it was the first time he'd ever seen the tree, despite living only about a few kilometres away.

"I didn't actually know it was in this area," he said. "It's impressive. It's quite different actually. It must be four feet in diameter."

Dave Domke, the City of Winnipeg's forester, said it's very likely the tree is indeed the tallest in the city. Years ago, he knew of another plains cottonwood that was about the same size in West Kildonan's McBeth Park, but he's not sure if that tree is still there or whether it's even bigger than the St. Vital giant.

"We don't have people running around measuring trees. That would be a waste of our resources," he said.

Domke said the tree is well over 100 years old, and could be as old as 200. "We don't know for sure. You could take a sample but that would require drilling a hole in it and we obviously don't want to do that," he said. "But there was an elm tree found in Kildonan Park Golf Course a few years ago that was 300 years old, so who knows?"

The tree served as a meeting place yesterday as volunteers from Save Our Seine guided nearly 300 people through the nearby Bois des Esprits forest.

"Bois des Esprits means 'Spirit of the Woods.' It's a very special forest, and it's a hidden treasure that few people know about," said Sawchuk. "We're giving people guided walks through the Bois des Esprits so they can experience the beauty of the 'A' quality habitat and pristine wilderness without leaving the city."

The group is raising money to purchase part of the forest, which is jointly owned by the Province of Manitoba and Ladco Company Ltd., and preserve it as parkland.

The park where the giant tree stands is just to the north of the Bois des Esprits forest, and is not slated for development.

The SOS has been trying to raise money to buy a chunk of the 80-acre forest to protect it from development. If not purchased by Dec. 31, part of the forest will be bulldozed.

The forest is home to one of Winnipeg's most diverse ecosystems, including a bur oak forest, tall grass prairie, ancient oxbow wetlands and river bottom forest.

To date, the group has raised $110,000, which will be matched by the City of Winnipeg. That's in addition to the $1 million the city has already pledged to the project.

At an estimated $65,000 an acre, that money will buy almost 19 acres of land for the park. But there are another 17 acres available if the group can raise more money by Dec. 31.

photo:Ken Gigiliotti
© 2003 Winnipeg Free Press. All Rights Reserved.

Back to In the Media


Back to Main