11/15/2019- A plan to do some selective cutting of trees at Henes Park raised some concerns with the City’s Finance Committee this week. City Engineer Tricia Alwin presented the committee with a proposed contract with a consulting forester who would identify the areas and trees which would be harvested to create a healthier forest. Finance Chair Frank Pohlman questioned whether traditional forest management methods are appropriate for the park.
“Everybody knows that this is a nature park and we do not want to manage it the way that maybe some other ways are managed.”
The purpose of the selective cutting would be to remove dead wood and trees that are reducing growth. Mayor Jean Stegeman also expressed concerns on how the park forest could look after the selective cuttings. The Finance Committee ultimately forwarded to the issue to the Parks and Rec Committee for discussion there.