DWA calls for negotiations for longterm logging plan
By Letters to the editor
Editor, The Nelson Daily
Logging activities concern all who live in the Six Mile North Shore area
for potentially many years to come.
Ministry of Forests has given Kalesnikoff Lumber permission to log extensively in the Duhamel Creek Watershed and Six Mile area, and the Licensee states they are about to apply for another logging permit, in addition to the permitted Watershed logging project which is well underway.
The Duhamel Watershed Alliance recently arranged an informal GEO Tec tour of the Duhamel Creek watershed and project site.
Following the tour, much investigation, and professional and expert advice, the Alliance decided to draft a long term logging plan with the aid of professional advisors.
The Alliance fosters community collaboration and now calls all residents and water users groups of the 6 mile North Shore area to add their input and choose delegates to join in on the planning.
The prescription would include road construction, logging, silviculture, post-harvest and risk mitigation, followed by regular joint field assessments and monitoring. It would be drafted by delegates of the Alliance and all water users groups with aid of professional advisers.
Recognizing that constructive community and company relationships will best address the risks which cumulatively increase with further road building, logging activity and climate change, negotiation of this long term plan will be essential in stabilizing community response.
The plan would develop protocols of safe road construction, harvesting, replanting and maintenance, monitoring, review and updating, and it would consider cumulative impacts and the potential for increased road construction and logging to eventually reach levels that will increase the flooding risk on the fan.
The Alliance recently forwarded a letter to Kalesnikoff Lumber requesting the Licensee meet with North Shore community delegates and their chosen professional advisers to jointly plan both the next cut block and the long term logging and related risk mitigation activity.
Kalesnikoff Lumber responded by confirming their pleasure to work with the
Duhamel Watershed Alliance and agreed to meet to review long term planning.
The company also recommended more field trips and volunteered to send out plans, assessments and needed reports.
Not all community members are in agreement with these decisions, because many residents are very concerned for the safety of their families, community and properties as well as clean drinking water. They state the risks are too high, and they are strongly opposed to the road construction and logging.
They have been demanding actions to stop this project.
The Alliance has chosen to take a pro-active approach to benefit all by communicating and negotiating with Kalesnikoff Lumber to achieve highest standards for risk management.
Duhamel Watershed Alliance
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