Tree Thinning Project Status
Annual Forest Thinning Plan – Building a Resilient Forest
Project Overview
The Lake Connor Park Annual Forest Thinning Plan is a comprehensive 16-year initiative to improve forest health, reduce hazard risk, and create a more resilient ecosystem for future generations.
By selectively removing approximately 400 trees per year, we will reduce forest density, improve light penetration, and allow remaining trees to grow stronger and healthier.
Current Status
Updated January 2026
Phase 1 is scheduled to begin in September 2025. The Stewardship Committee is currently finalizing contractor selection, site preparation plans, and communication materials for members.
Members will receive detailed information about affected areas, timeline, and safety protocols before work begins.
Project Timeline
Initial thinning in highest-priority areas. Focus on dense stands and areas with disease pressure.
Expansion to secondary areas. Assessment of Phase 1 results informs approach.
Continued thinning with adaptive management based on forest response.
Final phase completing the 16-year plan. Transition to maintenance mode.
Why Forest Thinning?
Reduce Hazard Risk
Overcrowded forests have weaker individual trees more susceptible to windthrow, disease, and failure. Thinning creates stronger, more wind-resistant trees.
Improve Forest Health
Better air circulation and light penetration reduce disease pressure from pathogens like Annosus and Armillaria that thrive in dense, humid conditions.
Fire Risk Reduction
Reducing forest density lowers the fuel load and decreases the risk of catastrophic fire spread through the park.
Enhanced Biodiversity
Opening the canopy allows understory plants to flourish, creating habitat diversity and a more vibrant ecosystem.
How This Relates to the Hazard Tree Program
The Annual Forest Thinning Plan works alongside our existing Hazard Tree Management Program, which has treated 783 individual hazard trees since 2018.
- Hazard Tree Program: Reactive identification and treatment of individual trees that pose immediate safety risks
- Forest Thinning Plan: Proactive, systematic reduction of forest density to prevent future hazards
Together, these programs create a comprehensive approach to forest stewardship at Lake Connor Park.
Questions or Want to Get Involved?
Contact the Forest Stewardship Committee for more information about the thinning project, to volunteer, or to provide feedback.