Welcome to our “Considerate Camper” series. These are posts with tips and reminders on how to keep our provincial parks clean and healthy. Already know how it’s done? Please share these posts along for less-experienced campers 🙂
We’re taking a leaf out of the Lorax’s book and speaking for the trees today!
When maintaining our campgrounds, we often notice marks in our trees. Many are from axes and nails, and plenty of trees have names, shapes and initials carved across their bark.
Did you know these holes and gouges risk the tree’s health and may result in its destruction?
Do axes and nails really hurt trees?
Trees look huge when they’re towering over us, but they are actually a fragile part of our environment. Like us, they can get sick or be wounded.
Putting an axe, a nail, or any other sort of carving into a tree gets rid of its outer protective layer.
Please don’t carve your initials in trees
By carving your initials, you’re removing the tree’s defense to countless pathogens that can kill it.
For example, the smooth bark of Beech Tree has already been vandalized by countless visitors at our parks.
That makes them susceptible to many fungi and diseases, like Beech Bark Disease, which is decimating the Beech tree population across the province.
Some provincial parks are among the last places for the disease to reach, and this kind of vandalism damages trees already struggling to survive.
Nails are a big no-no
Nails are doubly concerning. Not only do they compromise the tree’s health, but they’re a danger to people.
Rusty nails can snag passing campers and staff. Worse, if our maintenance team ever need to chop the tree down from, say, damage due to markings, chainsaws running into nails are a huge hazard.
Even taking the nail out of the tree is a risk. Once you remove a nail, the inside of the tree has a fairly deep hole in it. That’s really not helping it fight off infection.
So how can I hang my hammock/tarp without nails?
Use ropes or wide straps/belts instead. These work just as well and don’t harm the tree.
If you use a rope or strap, please take it home with you. Sometimes campers are trying to be helpful (because you really are the best!) and leave their ropes up for other campers.
Trouble is, when ropes get left behind (especially in the backcountry), the tree has to grow around them. And — you guessed it — this can make the tree sick too.
We’re serious about protecting our natural spaces
Ontario has laws in place to protect our provincial parks.
In this case, if anyone unlawfully harms plant or tree, the penalty is — at minimum* — a $125.00 fine.
*Minimum fines do not include court costs or victim fine surcharges. Penalties for offenses under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006 can be as high as $50,000 and imprisonment for up to one year for a first offence, or $100,000 and imprisonment for up to two years if the offence was committed for commercial purposes.
Please be kind to the trees
Next time you consider swinging your axe or carving your initials on that pine or maple, remember: your actions could result in the tree’s destruction.
Help us protect Ontario’s natural spaces and keep our majestic trees healthy!