by Saverio Colasanto Irony is sometimes hard to believe. Who would think that the logging of a forest would start on Earth Day?
Lot 450 lies in the heart of Powell River, home to popular, well used trails that connect Westview, Townsite and Cranberry, yet it is not part of the Millennium Park project. Cranberry got its name because of the cranberries that grew in the bogs of Lot 450.
Currently the trees are in possession of Island Timberlands, and are literally being logged by them at this very second.
For the past couple of months my family has been observing several pairs of pileated woodpeckers in their natural habitat. Just a week ago we discovered one of those pairs finishing their nest in a dead alder. It is a spectacular sight to see them cleaning out the woodchips and dust.
Although their nest is not in the falling boundary, it is only about six or seven metres (20 to 23 feet) away. The odds of these grand birds staying are almost none.
One day we heard many Steller’s jays screaming at something in the woods. My father and brother and I went in and found a great horned owl perching on a high branch. We followed it every time it flew until it took a turn and flew behind the apartments on Ortona Avenue. After almost an hour and a half our expedition ended when we came out on the old Cranberry school’s field.
Twice during the day my family has stumbled upon a very tired barred owl. It will perch on its branch for many hours.
Other wild things live there too. Deer come around a lot, with the bucks being the most impressive.
The forest is also home to McGuffie Creek, an active salmon spawning ground.
This forest consists of lots of old growth, with some patches of alder that have grown up after being cut a little more than a decade ago.
There is a special trail that twists and turns as it goes through the older growth. Shortly, it meets up with a logging road from the most recent harvesting. The alders had formed an arch over the road that made it a nice and shaded path.
In early February the arch was destroyed when the alders above the road were pushed over, to make space for logging equipment to come through.
Island Timberlands came to our house that week and gave us a letter stating what its plans were, including the day they would start cutting: February 9. The cutting would last approximately eight weeks, which was subject to change without notice. They would start at McGuffie Creek and end at Timberlane Avenue.
By the end of March the cutting still hadn’t started. We figured it was just delayed, but at the same time hoped they had decided not to go through with it.
Then April 22, Earth Day, some chainsaws started up. After about five minutes we heard the first crack as a tree fell down. They were extending the road for equipment, and soon they will be in full stride.
Unfortunately, the loss of habitat and noise of chainsaws will make the wildlife flee. It can be expected that it won’t be the same for a long time.
Powell River is losing more than just trees.
Saverio Colasanto is a grade eight student who has been enjoying Lot 450 his entire life.
