Much of the destruction on the BORA trail was due to the installation of a dozer line. (Image Credit: Facebook/Preston Trail Consulting)

By Derek Cornet

recreation club

BORA working to restore local hiking trails

Jun 8, 2026 | 1:03 PM

Members with the Boreal Outdoor Recreation Association (BORA) have been busy restoring part of their trail system affected by last year’s wildfire prevention work.

While none of their trails were damaged by flames, a large portion of the system stretching from the SaskTel tower along Highway 102 to Morley Wilson Park was impacted by the creation of a dozer line last June, as well as further work during the winter.

“They were kind of affected at two different times. One when the initial dozer line was put in. We went and opened them back up, which meant using chainsaws and skid steers to get through 10-foot high piles of soil and trees. That took quite a number of hours,” said BORA President Dr. Dan Irvine.

“Over winter, some crews were back and kind of spreading the trees around. I believe it was for reforestation, which is understandable, but it also meant there was heavy duty machinery driving over the trails and digging up the gravel we had put in and creating ruts and that sort of thing.”

Irvine noted work to fix the damage is ongoing and the group plans to organize some working-bees in the coming months. They have also been placing signage in the affected area, so trail users better understand where the trail ends at the dozer line and where it continues after it.

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“I think we can always do more and get more signs up. There are a couple of spots where it would be easy to get off one trail and on to another just because of how wide that dozer line track is,” he added.

Work is being done to level areas affected by heavy equipment. (Image Credit: Facebook/Preston Trail Consulting)

BORA has also been assisting management with the Lac La Ronge Provincial Park as a large portion of the Nut Point Trail was destroyed. The trail is currently opened, but boardwalks have yet to be replaced.

“The hiking trail had extensive damage from the fire, so we defined a couple of re-routes with Parks,” Irvine remarked.

“The biggest one took the trail around about 500 meters of bog and puddles in quite a mosquito-thick area and moved it to a high ridge line overlooking Downton Lake. There are much more lake views much earlier on in the hiking experience at Nut Point now. There will be someone doing groundwork and smoothing out of the trail on Nut Point as well.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

by Derek Cornet

BORA working to restore local hiking trails

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