The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natura l Resources and Forestry is calling on the public to help identify who illegally harvested white pine trees in the Pembroke Area.
The ministry has determined that about 13 white pine trees were felled in Fraser Township sometime between April 1st and May 5th, 2021. Most of the trees were easily accessible from the roadside, with stumps measuring over 30cm in diameter. It will take many decades to replace them.
To report a natural resource violation or provide information about an unsolved case, members of the public should call MNRF’s TIPS line toll free at 1-877-847-7667 or contact a local Ministry office. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about unsolved cases, please visit ontario.ca/mnrftips.
Chambers,A.,MNRF(2021,June28) MNRF NEWS – Seeking Public’s Help – Cut Trees [media release]
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A guy just needs to be bold and brassy and wear an orange vest and look he is working for the government and he can steal entire big white pine trees from a road-side:- lumber prices are currently very high due to post-Covid demand as the economy resurges and obviously saw-log prices have also increased considerably. Still, it seems like a lot of work for relatively little gain. They must have had a small crane-truck or some sort of forwarder to promptly pick up the saw logs as they cut them since if they just left them there for awhile someone else might take them:- a real “slash-and-grab” crime! Perhaps they might try checking out owners of crane-trucks or log forwarders located nearby:- it would likely be someone who often travels along there and would be familiar with those particular trees. Perhaps it was an “inside job” conducted by a municipal employee doing some “moonlighting” on a weekend or in the evening. This is definitely the “Case of the Pine Poacher”.