(Prince Albert National Park, Parks Canada/Facebook)

By Logan Lehmann

Holiday season

P.A. National Park welcomes families for eighth annual Christmas Tree Harvest

Dec 8, 2023 | 6:00 AM

Prince Albert National Park is inviting people to come out and participate in their eighth annual Christmas Tree Harvest from their Community Fuel Break.

The event is put on every year during the Christmas season and helps protect Waskesiu and the surrounding area from potential wildfires during the summer.

Dustin Guedo, a Vegetation Ecologist with the park explained why the harvest is important to wildfire safety as well as what the Community Fuel Break is.

“We take forest fire management really seriously,” he said. “Back in 2003, we created a Community Fuel Break which is essentially – we haul out all of the really flammable spruce trees, pine trees, the balsam fir. We remove those in a certain area of the townsite and now we manage it so that some areas remain open and other areas are growing back with trees like aspen, birch, and broadleaf trees which are a lot easier to control a forest fire in if one was to ever threaten the community.”

Compared to previous years, the park got this season’s harvest underway earlier than normal, beginning on Nov. 24. Since then, Guedo said that the harvest has already seen nearly 100 people come find their Christmas tree for the holidays and expects more people in the next couple of weeks leading up to Christmas.

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“It’s been an active year. We average between 150-200 people participating in the Christmas Tree Harvest and so seeing the first two weeks, the weather has been great and we’ve seen a good turnout already so I’m expecting another 100 people in the next two weeks as well.”

Mostly known as a summer destination, Guedo added that Waskesiu is just as beautiful during the winter with lots of wildlife still being active in the area as well as stunning views of the lake.

During this time of year, the park issues Christmas tree permits to those who are looking to leave with a tree.

“We ask people to come down to the park and head to the visitors’ centre,” explained Guedo. “There, they can talk to one of the staff members and they will go over the Christmas Tree Harvest. The permits are free and with the permit, it shows where we would like them to harvest a tree in the fuel break around the townsite and what we’re asking people to do.”

The park asks people to not bring in chainsaws but rather a handsaw or an axe. Additionally, the park asks to not cut down large trees but trees that are Christmas tree sized.

The last day people can participate in the harvest is when it wraps up on Dec. 23.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com