Rural resident disappointed after CP Rail notifies her of tree removal

A rural resident who lives between Crossfield and Airdrie is disappointed with Canadian Pacific Railway’s (CP Rail) intentions of cutting down hundreds of trees on her acreage property.

Carla Henderson, who lives on a five-acre piece of land near Township Road 282, said CP Rail representatives recently reached out to her, outlining their intent to cut down a small patch of 30-foot deciduous trees on her land.

According to Henderson, the company argued the trees are a sight line concern, as they block motorists' view of approaching trains, due to a bend in the railway tracks near the foliage. A crossing for vehicles is located shortly after the curve, and the trees also prevent conductors from being able to see around the bend.

“It’s just frustrating that’s the only option they see,” said Henderson, adding she has lived on the property for more than 20 years.

“I just feel they’re a big company that I’m sure makes oodles of dollars. They go around mountains and trees, so I don’t see why there can’t be more of a compromise.”

A railway crossing is located on the other side of the trees, causing motorists and train conductors to not be able to see each other. Submitted/For Rocky View Weekly

Henderson said she is concerned about the impact the loss of the trees will have on wildlife that live in or frequent the small wooded area, which lies close to Nose Creek. She said she has seen moose, deer and blue heron on her property, as well as beavers and muskrats in the nearby creek.

“We’re not that far off the beaten path but there are wildlife that live here,” she said. “I just think, we don’t have a whole lot of trees and forests here. Why get rid of the ones we do have?”

In a statement to the Rocky View Weekly, CP Rail argued removing the trees is a requirement under Transport Canada's regulations.

“Railways and road authorities have a shared responsibility to ensure public grade crossing sight lines are compliant with Transport Canada’s Grade Crossing Regulations,” it read. “Increased sight lines at crossings can make it easier for all users to view an oncoming train, which improves public safety.”

A representative from CP Rail directed the Rocky View Weekly to the federal government's Grade Crossings Regulations, which stipulate “sight lines must be maintained...including by the removal of trees and brush that obstruct the sight lines.”

According to the regulations, “a person who grows trees and brush, or allows them to grow, on land in the vicinity of a grade crossing must remove them if they obstruct the sight lines.”

Henderson said she has seen plenty of wildlife occupy the trees, including birds, moose and deer. Submitted/For Rocky View Weekly

But Henderson said she is still hopeful a compromise can be reached. After being contacted by CP Rail, she said she reached out to the Town of Crossfield, Rocky View County and the Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC) in Madden to see if anything could be done to prevent the trees from being cut down. She said AIWC representatives suggested she reach out to Alberta Fish and Wildlife.

However, Henderson said Fish and Wildlife workers told her they would only be able to intervene if there was evidence of endangered species in the wooded area, which she acknowledged doesn’t seem to be the case.

She added she has asked CP Rail if the trees could be uprooted and relocated to another part of the property, but they responded doing so would be too costly – as would be relocating the railway crossing further down the track.

“It’s cheaper for them to just remove the trees,” she said.

Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19