ManitobaThe City of Winnipeg wants to whittle down the number of new tree carvings in Bois des Esprits after a grave increase in engravings in the St. Vital forest.While some say etchings are fetching, city now requires permission before carvers bring out their knivesCBC News · Posted: Dec 02, 2025 7:39 PM EST | Last Updated: 4 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Carvings with text and symbols, like this heart-shaped memento, are no longer permitted in Bois-des-Esprits. (Axel Dansereau Macias/CBC)The City of Winnipeg wants to whittle down the number of new tree carvings in Bois-des-Esprits after a grave increase in engravings in the St. Vital forest.City parks officials are now asking carvers to seek permission before bringing their knives out to the nature park on the western edge of the Royalwood neighbourhood.Carvers will only be approved on the basis of their ability to produce a professional-quality image, parks staff told city council’s community services committee Tuesday.The new rules require etchings to be related to nature or forests. Text, symbols and plaques won’t be permitted — though existing plaques and non-conforming carvings won’t be taken down.Carvings will only be allowed on dead trees within Bois-des-Esprits — and never on live trees, said Rodney Penner, the City of Winnipeg’s naturalist.“We don’t have concerns with carving themselves. Our concerns is how it impacts people’s use of the park,” Penner told councillors, explaining the city is trying to strike a balance.“People enjoy the carvings to some extent but you also don’t want them to overwhelm the nature of the area.”While there have been carvings in Bois-des-Esprits for 21 years, the number of them proliferated during the COVID-19 pandemic.“This started off as this nice tradition in Bois-des-Esprits,” said St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayes. “Then it kind of got out of hand.”Mayes said some residents started to complain about carvings on live trees, carvings of poor quality and too many carvings altogether.WATCH | Winnipeg whittles down carvings in St. Vital forest:Winnipeg to whittle down number of new carvings in Bois-des-EspritsThe City of Winnipeg is introducing new rules to combat a grave increase in engravements in Bois-des-Esprits, a forest in St. Vital known for its wood carvings.Royalwood residents and other people who frequent Bois-des-Esprits are divided about the city plan to bring the woodwork down a notch.“I don’t think it’s a bad idea ’cause you want to preserve the forest,” said Edith Boulet, who walks in the park two or three times a month.“I’m not sure if more rules are needed here. So personally, I don’t think it is necessary,” said Elena Grinshdeyn, who comes by the forest three times a week.City council’s community services committee voted Tuesday to place signs with the new rules at the entrance to the forest.Dave Domke, the city’s manager of parks and open spaces, said they hope potential carvers will comply.“We can’t stop malicious behaviour. We don’t have carving police,” he said. “What we do have is a lot of eyes out there in the community.”With files from Axel Dansereau Macias and Bartley Kives
Too much timbercraft in St. Vital park leads Winnipeg to take woodwork down a notch
