Trim time
<p>Monte McCully, with the Coeur d'Alene Parks Department, trims some low branches off of trees lining the Prairie Trail near Player Drive. The city is thinning out the stand of trees to help promote healthy growth and decrease the fire hazard caused from the overgrowth.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - It's for safety and health reasons.
Crews will be trimming and clearing trees along the Prairie Trail over the next two weeks, removing sick and crowded limbs to allow for healthy stock to grow, while decreasing the danger of a fire hazard with overgrown brush.
The North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation, in partnership with the city's Urban Forestry Committee, last year identified the growth along the east side of the trail near Kathleen Avenue and Ramsey Road as a place to clean out.
"We're really doing it for the health of the area and the good of the trail," said Charlie Miller, foundation manager.
Miller didn't know how many trees would be cleared, but when trees are too close together, they fight for light and soil, which can compromise the growth of each. When trees stunt and decay, bugs and disease can get into them and spread to other, healthier trees.
"It's just part of maintaining a healthy forest," Miller said, adding that overgrown areas can make hangouts for camp hideaways, too.
But the strip down has left some neighbors feeling, well, naked.
"It used to be forestry and secluded," said Alexa Smith, who lived with her family off the trail on North Palmer Drive since 2005.
Instead of a wall of Lodgepole and Ponderosa pines, the couple has a clear view into their neighbors' apartment buildings across the way.
Their backyard was even more forested before the trail was put in, when it was old railroad tracks.
"Now it's like an alley is going through my backyard," Alexa said, adding that pedestrians from atop the higher trail have a grand view into the Smith's backyard. That foot and bike traffic moves from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. during warmer weather.
Some even stop and stare into the yard, husband Chris said.
"It's great having the trail, I use the trail, I just wish I didn't live off the trail," Alexa said of the stripped down forest around the lane. "It's a love, hate relationship."
But the foundation plans on introducing healthier versions of native shrubs, such as Serviceberries, Dogwoods and Alders, to fill it back up as early as this spring, Miller said.
On April 17, the foundation will be holding a volunteer based trail wide clean up day, and young brush and saplings will be reintroduced then, he said.
Information: Miller at 292-1634 or e-mail charlie@northidahocentennialtrial.org.