News/Reports

Clack Creek Ecological Reserve (proposal needs addressing)

Posted May 25, 2020 | Categories : 156,BC Parks,Issues,Logging old-growth,Management,Reports |

The following is a letter written by the Elphistone Loggin Focus group. It is a good indication of the frustration of a local community group in the attempt to protect a local ecosystem service.

 

Dear Minister Heyman,

 
I ask you to immediately call your counterpart in government, Minister Donaldson and stop the logging in The Clack Forest – a proposed Ecological Reserve candidate put forward by Friends of Ecological Reserves- FoER (Victoria).
 
Today, marked another sad day in the history of the Mt. Elphinstone Park expansion campaign with RCMP enforcing an Injunction against concerned citizens who oppose this BCTS A93884 cutblock.
 
The Ecological Reserve proposal put forward by the FoER was presented to you back in January 2019 –  but was turned down for unknown reasons.
 
A solution exists.  Allow the Black Mount Logging company to remove all fallen timber and then inform them to surrender the licence.  In addition, tell them don’t have to pay stumpage on the fallen timber with no penalty.  By the looks on the fallers faces today they’re getting the importance of the park expansion to residents and could very well be looking to graciously back away.  This is when democracy works – having compassion for other points of view and making decisions to reflect the best way forward. 
 
Then, can call up FoER to discuss the ER candidate area.  
 
Sound too radical of a proposal for government?  Well, you are the government – you can do these things and come out smelling roses.  
 
Here’s the link to the current FoER newsletter speaking to The Clack Creek Forest’s rare ecological diversity.  
 
https://ecoreserves.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/autumn-winter-2019-20-colour-final.pdf  
 
ELF did not want this situation to arrive at this point, but even with good science (Banner & McCrory) to prove this forest’s high biodiversity and a pending FLNRO report in response to Managing At-risk Plant Communities near Mt. Elphinstone Park, the BCTS Timber Sales Manager unfortunately still approved it.  The Courts will always defer to the legislated decision-maker, but the Judge repeated that we had laudable concerns.  
 
Minister Heyman, in all due respects, your green file needs a boost. This announcement would go a long ways and might even re-secure the riding for the NDP next election.  If not, this riding for the NDP is clearly unstable.  Please correct a wrong with an Executive Order moving forward on this Clack Creek ER. 
 
Best Regards
 
Ross Muirhead
ELF: Forest Campaigner
 
P.S. See attached image of the forest under threat. Looks like Stanley Park?  Same ecosystem.