Pebble in the Pond Environmental Society is calling for tight scrutiny over the harvesting of trees in Lot 450.
Speaking as a delegation at City of Powell River council meeting, Thursday, May 7, Judi Tyabji Wilson, co-founder and president of the society, said she had some substantive, regulatory and legislative issues that she wanted to broach with council from some of the research that has been conducted.
Before outlining the research, Tyabji Wilson called Jenny Garden, to the podium, who said the trees in Millennium Park have been purchased but she believes mayor and council drastically underestimate how much the community cares about the remaining trees in vicinity of Lot 450.
“We are going to fight for them,” she said.
Graham May spoke next, saying he returned to Powell River recently. He graduated from Brooks Secondary School four years ago, which is property adjacent to Lot 450. Part of his new job is taking students into the forest to learn about environmental matters.
May said he believes logging can be done in a sustainable way, such as that conducted by Powell River Community Forest. He added that logging can be undertaken really poorly and that is what has been seen from Island Timberlands in the past.
“If you allow this forest to be clear-cut, there will be a hole in our community,” May said.
Tyabji Wilson said local forest issues have resulted in Pebble in the Pond retaining the services of a lawyer. She said she is hoping resolution of the issue can be found in ways other than through the legal system.
When Pebble in the Pond heard that there was the logging announcement by Island Timberlands, her organization wanted to know about the wildlife values in the areas being harvested
She said when mentioning Lot 450, she is referring to 618.6 acres within the city boundaries. There are two lots owned by PRSC Limited Partnership outside of Millennium Park and they total 229 acres.
Island Timberlands’ property, where the company has land title and timber rights, amounts to 262.7 acres. Tyabji Wilson said when she refers to Island Timberlands’ holdings, she is referring to those lands and trees.
Pebble in the Pond has set as its goal the preservation of the timber on the PRSC lands through an alternate method of resolution that does not involve clear-cutting. She said there are some who want to preserve all of the timber on Lot 450, although that is not Pebble in the Pond’s agenda. The society is focusing on the PRSC lands that will be available for community use after the trees have been cut.
A critical concern is wildlife habitat. Tyabji Wilson said in the one-day analysis conducted by a wildlife consultant, what was discovered was undeniable, unique wildlife values in the land owned by PRSC.
“Those, by law, must be protected,” she said.
She also asked council about the reforestation plans for PRSC lands after Island Timberlands’ harvesting. She said according to the Private Managed Forest Land Act, the objective for private managed forests with respect to reforestation of areas where timber has been harvested or destroyed is to promptly regenerate the areas to a healthy, commercially valuable stand of trees that is not impeded with competition from plants or shrubs.
Those lands are owned by the community and there needs to be plans filed with the city. If the city believes the company is not complying with the plans, the city has the right to ask for a stop-work order, Tyabji Wilson said.
“They should not be cutting any trees in this municipality without proper plans that are sustainable and governed under the act.”
Tyabji Wilson also said the city has other inventories of timber that could be perceived as more fitting with a working forest than the PRSC lands. She said the agreement just signed with Island Timberlands lists an inventory of other timber values.
“I would suggest that you have some alternate assets that once a proper management plan is developed, there may be more acceptable ways of providing with their need for timber,” she said. “It’s not Pebble in the Pond’s suggestion to impact Island Timberlands’ bottom line, but what we are saying is we are concerned about what is going on in the community.”
Tyabji Wilson said she was talking the other day about Powell River’s Facebook swap and shop page. Discussion pointed out there are a lot of people in Powell River who have some trees on their land that are in the way.
“If you are looking at this time to swap and shop with Island Timberlands, I’d be happy to help you by posting on swap and shop how many trees they need,” Tyabji Wilson said. “I’ll bet this community could get them in about a day.”
