SCRD Issues Order to Western Forest Products

The Sunshine Coast Regional District sitting as a Local Board of Health reached a decision earlier today regarding logging in the Chapman Creek Watershed. For those looking for a complete shut down of logging in the Chapman Creek Watershed there is disappointment; however, others believe the ruling has put Western Forest Products into "an impossible money losing situation." The latter view is held by Dan Bouman, Executive Director of the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association who presented the major submission seeking to end logging in watershed.

The SCRD Board produced a Media Release and a 5-page "Order Under the Health Act." (These are .pdf files and we recommended a right click and save to your hard disc for perusing at your leisure). From this writer's quick read through of the documents, the SCRD hedged its bets by banning any further logging by WFP on slopes 60% or greater (Block WC-043, Block WC-043P); although, WFP will be able to remove the trees already felled and already prepared for removal by helicopter. The Board has also banned any road work plans by WFP in cutblock WC-043 and set road work restrictions during periods of heavy rain. It has also ordered WFP to perform daily water sampling at locations both parties must agree to. While the Board felt there was no compelling hazard to health evidence presented that could lead to a ban on logging in the more gentle slopes of WC-021 and WC-023, it did find enough evidence to support a hazard to the 'quality' of drinking water posed by steep slope logging.

This would appear to close one chapter in the battle to stop industrial activity in a watershed. Bouman says the SCRD went as far at they could acting as a Local Board of Health and now the issue will likely return to the BC Supreme Court if WFP seeks to over turn the Board's Order. As well, there will be the Ministry of Forests reaction to this move by a local government into its 'jurisdiction.'

Now, what are all those pesky protestors going to do in the meantime? Rumour has they might go wild blue berry picking. After all, it is that time of year here on the Sunshine Coast.