Man facing charges after cutting down Christmas trees

A Manitoba man is facing fines and possible jail time after being charged for illegally cutting down Christmas trees that he was allegedly planning to sell at a business in Steinbach.

After being tipped off by the public, Manitoba Natural Resources and Northern Development officers began an investigation into illegal tree harvesting on Crown land north of Marchand about 80 KM from Winnipeg. Officers found a suspect bringing trees out of a plantation, which grows high-quality trees for planting in forestry renewal projects across southern Manitoba.

“These trees weren’t for timber harvesting or for Christmas tree cutting they were set aside for seed generation for the forestry branch. They could get the seeds from the cones and then create seedlings that they could plant in the area that would be unique to that part of the province,” Earl Simmons, Chief Conservation Officer.

Simmons says a total of 167 trees had been cut and the majority of the trees were between 20 and 30 feet tall. Economically that’s about a $30,000 loss to taxpayers says Simmons adding it takes about 20 years or more for a tree to grow that tall.

“Essentially this induvial just took off the tops of the trees and the rest of the trees went to waste.”

The induvial was charged and if convicted faces fines of up to $50,000, up to six months in jail or both. Simmons says the confiscated trees were donated to a Ukrainian church in Winnipeg to help newcomers enjoy their first holiday season in Canada

Father Ihor Shved with the Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral, says it isn’t lost on him that one person’s alleged crime has created something good for someone else. Shved says many Ukrainian families have come to his church after fleeing the war in Ukraine and said most of them wouldn’t be able to afford a tree this year. Shved says the families who received a tree are incredibly thankful and happy to have it.

“Especially those who are with children here, for them its like a double joy,” said Father Shved.

As for Simmons, he is reminding people who do want to cut down trees, that they are allowed to, as long as they purchase a permit for around $10.00 and only cut down one tree up to three meters in height.

“It’s fairly simple, it’s pretty cheap, and we encourage people to do it that way.”