Ecoforestry Meeting on July 12 in Egmont

The Friends of Egmont are inviting all Sunshine Coast Residents from Port Mellon to Egmont to attend a Public Meeting on Ecoforestry. We are fortunate to have two guest speakers from Vancouver Island:

Jay Rostogi
Site Manager for Wildwood
Land Conservancy of BC

Barry Gates
Malahat Ecoforestry Products

Wildwood on Vancouver Island is the oldest ecoforest on the west coast of North America. Founded by Merve Wilkinson in 1938 and now owned by the Land Conservancy of BC, Wildwood continues Merve's practices of true selective logging ensuring forest survival for future generations.

Barry Gates is manager of 400 hectare private forest at Shawnigan Lake. Both Barry and Jay are members of the Ecoforestry Institute and will share their experiences and views on alternatives to clear-cut logging. The Public Meeting will take place at:

7:00 pm
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Egmont Community Hall

For further information, click on Wildwood and the Ecoforestry Institute under "Sites Worth Visiting" in the column to the right.

"Our Ancerstors Are Watching"

The following letter appeared in this past week's Coast Reporter. It was sent to both the newspaper and to Western Forest Products.

"My name is Willard Joe, and I am a member of the Sechelt Indian Band. My family name is well known amongst our Band, and my family has a long history with our traditional territories.

I wish to advise your company that I visited your company's logging roads that have been built in the Chapman Creek watershed, and there I sang a song for protection over my traditional lands.

The late Chief Dan George's song was taught to me by a Squamish band member and the song reaches out to my ancestors and asks for their protection over the watershed.

My singing and drum sounds went deep into the forest and the ancestors knew my presence. I ask your company to respect my traditional lands and mot continue with your plans to build roads and log trees in the watersheds."

That is a beautiful letter Mr. Joe. Now, we ask with deep sincerity that you come to our watersheds here in Egmont to sing Chief Dan George's song and to drum. We ask that you reach out to your ancestors for their protection against the clear-cutting and road building planned in our watersheds and in this territory, too.

SCRD & Our Watersheds

The following are the motions passed by the SCRD at it's June 21, 2007 meeting. They show the direction the SCRD is taking in regards to logging on the watersheds throughout the coast and towards Egmont's Waugh Lake Watershed and the Chapman Creek Watershed in particular.

331/07
THAT the Planning and Development Committee recommendations No 1-4, 16, 22-24, and 32 of June 21, 2007 be received, adopted and acted upon as amended at follows:

Recommendation No1 - Waugh Lake Watershed

That with respect to the proposed logging by Tsain Ko in the Waugh Lake Community Watershed, that staff review the requests from the Egmont community, and prepare information as to what the Regional District can so to support their requests and concerns, including the status of the a Watershed Reserve on Waugh Lake;

AND THAT staff request information from Tsain Ko on their proposed logging plans, environmental studies andother supporting documents;

AND FURTHER THAT staff send a letter to Tsain Ko inviting them to meet with the SCRD Board to explain thier plans, and that the invitation to participate in the meeting include representatives from the Ministry of Forests, Dr. Pau Martiquet and Tim Adams, and that a copy of the letter of invitation be forwarded to SIB Chief and Council.

Recommendation No 2 - Logging Within Watersheds

THAT staff provide information on all watersheds and proposed cutblocks with watersheds with active water licenses (for the purpose of indentification), timber licences holders within them, location of chart areas of the licences, and terms of tenure;

AND THAT the SCRD request a meeting with the Minister of Forests and Range to discuss information on logging within watersheds, and an invitation be extended to the SIB to participate in the meeting with the Minister.

Recommendation No. 3 - Watershed Reserves

THAT staff investigate the process required to establish Watershed Reserves on lakes providing a source of community drinking water such as Ruby Lake and Waugh Lake.

Recommendation No. 4 - UBCM Resolutions Re: Community Watersheds

THAT the SCRD send a letter to UBCM requesting that they work with the SCRD in recommending strategies to address forestry activity in community watersheds;

THAT SCRD and Sechelt Indian Band meet at a mutually convenient time to discuss broadening the Joint Watershed Management Agreement to include all drinking water watersheds on the lower Sunshine Coast;

AND THAT the Squamish Indian Band be invited to attend.

CARRIED

324-07
THAT given the workload generated by concerns related to the Chapman Creek, Wilson Creek and Egmont Watersheds, staff be authorized to retain consultants to obtain information the Board is requesting regarding watersheds, cutblocks, jurisdictions, etc.

CARRIED

325-07
THAT a meeting be scheduled with Stuart MacPerson of the Private Managed Forest Council.

CARRIED

326-07
THAT a letter be sent to the Premier outlining the situation concern the approval of Western Forest Products cutblocks in the watershed, and including the history of water surveying and the service provided to 23,000 people, and the SCRD's frustrations and the cost of the water treatment plant;

AND THAT the letter put the province on notice that the SCRD will cosider them negligent for any risk or incident in the watershed due to Western Forest Products logging, noting that the quality and quantity of water will be monitored;

AND FURTHER THAT the letter be copied to Nicholas Simons, MLA, and the Ministers of Forests, Health and Community Services.

CARRIED

327-07
THAT a copy of the letter to the Premier be hand-delivered to the Honourable Rich Coleman, Minister of Forests.

CARRIED

328-07
THAT staff consult with SCRD legal counsel and if they are amenable, contact West Coast Environmental Law for advice about who in the legal community would best be able to meet our needs on the watershed issue.

CARRIED

330-07
Recommendation No. 2 - Letter to Ombudsman re: Logging in Watersheds

THAT the SCRD, as a Sunshine Coast water purveyor, write a letter to the Ombudsman asking that mining and logging in the Chapman Creek watershed be halted due to the threat to drinking water quality and request that consideration be given to all community watersheds with the Sunshine Coast Regional District.

Recommendation No. 3 - Logging in Chapman Watershed

THAT a letter be sent to Western Forest Products expressing the Sunshine Coast Regional District's concerns regarding logging in the Chapman watershed and that Western Forest Products be asked to inform the SCRD of their intentions in this regards.

Recommendation No. 4 - Columbia National Investments

THAT a letter be sent to Columbia National Investments (CNI) asking for clarification on the following comments that were made at a recent Public Open House:

• Confirmation that CNI will not be logging in the Chapman watershed
• What CNI considers the "watershed" to be
• CNI's offer to negotiate granting an easement for access to the SCRD water intake

Recommendation No. 5 - Logging in the Chapman Creek Watershed

THAT the Board, pursuant to Section 13 of the Drinking Waters Protection Act (DWPA), notify the Drinking Water Officer that logging and road building underway in the Chapman Watershed presents an imminent threat to the drinking water supply;

AND THAT the Board, pursuant to Section 25 of the Drinking Water Protection Act (DWPA) request the Drinking Water Officer to stop all logging and road building within the Chapman Watershed until such time as a Drinking Water Protection Plan is in place;

AND THAT the Board request that the Drinking Water Officer begin the process of developing a Drinking Water Protection Plan for the Chapman Creek watershed;

AND THAT the Board request a letter of support from the Sechelt Indian Band, District of Sechelt and Town of Gibsons in recommending a moratorium on all logging and road building in the Chapman Creek watershed until such time as a Drinking Water Protection Plan and Assessement Response is completed.

AND THAT the Board send a letter to Western Forest Products, Ministry of Forests, and the District and the District Forest Manager requesting that a moratorium on all logging and road building in the Chapman Creek watershed until such time as a Drinking Water Protection Plan and Assessment Response Plan is completed;

AND THAT the Committee, given the sensitive nature of the issues, direct staff to send these letters as soon as possible, and before the next Board meeting;

AND THAT a letter be ssent to Triton Environment Consultants Ltd. requesting writeen confirmation that there is an immenient threat to the Chapman Creek watershed and Sunshine Coast drinking water due to logging activity by Western Forest Products.

AND FINALLY THAT the Committee consider a press release advising the public of these actions.

CARRIED

336-07
THAT the following resolution be adopted and forwarded to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities for consideration at the 2007 convention:

Bill 11

WHEREAS Bill 11 amends the Local Government Act to allow the Lieutenant Governor in Council to designate a resort region and establish a resor municipality without the consent of residents within that area and without consultation and support of the affected Regional District;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Bill 11 be amended so that the designation of a resort region and the establishment of a resort municipality is contingent upon the support of the affected Regional District by resolution and the consent of residents and property owners within the Regional District by referendum.

CARRIED

SCRD begins building its war chest

The following email arrived this morning from Dan Bouman, Director of the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association. It announces that the SCRD took its first tentative steps in a new battle to stop logging and road building in the Chapman Creek watershed.

"Greetings All!

Watershed activists won a small but highly significant victory tonight (Thursday) at the regular meeting of the Sunshine Coast Regional District.

The SCRD agreed that it is a "local board of health" and is obligated to investigate a citizens' complaint that Western Forests Products' activities in the Chapman Watershed are a health hazard.The SCRD will undertake this investigation diligently and without prejudice. The Directors also agreed to send a letter to WFP asking that they voluntarily agree to cease and desist pending the investigation outcome.

As well, the Directors agreed to begin the groundwork of establishing a $1,000,000 fund for use in pursuing watershed protection through the courts, if this becomes necessary.

I feel strongly that SCRD directors and staff deserve our gratitude and support for these measures. I would also like to thank you for your efforts and support as we have struggled to deal with this latest watershed emergency.

It may be cliché to say but it's never been more true; working together, we can make a difference!

Have a great weekend! Next week we will begin proving that Chapman Watershed logging is a threat to public health. Thank you so much!

Cheers, Daniel"

All regional governments particularly on Vancouver Island will be watching how this goal to protect a watershed unfolds since all the watersheds in BC are wide open to logging. We hope it bodes well for us, too, in our goal to stop logging in our own watersheds.

Vote for the Watershed!

The Coast Reporter is conducting an online poll. The question is:

"Do you support taking legal action to protect our drinking water?"

It seems Coasters are spoiling for a fight with the province because the 'yeas' are leading 10 to 1. Pay the site a visit and vote to save our watersheds!

Ruby Lake Landholders Association Submission

Presentation to Planning and Development Committee

Sunshine Coast Regional District

Thursday June 21, 2007 Meeting

Agenda Item # 30 Tsain-Ko Logging in Egmont, B.C.

Presenter: Ruby Lake Landholders Association. represented by Catherine McEachern.

BACKGROUND

The Ruby Lake Landholders Association (RLA), is a society formed in 1979 to maintain the ecological nature of Ruby Lake and the surrounding area. It also deals with certain issues relevant to fire protection and safety. It now consists of over 70 members, comprising most of the residents on Ruby Lake, almost all of whom draw their water from Ruby Lake. As most of you are aware the Cove Cay waterworks also draws water from Ruby Lake to service the water needs of Earl’s Cove.

ISSUES:

1. LACK OF NOTICE AND CONSULTATION

I have read the staff report accompanying this agenda Item #30 and want to address one of the most critical concerns of the Landholders Association: lack of proper notice and consultation. Neither Canfor in 2002, nor Tsain-Ko in 2007 have mentioned anywhere that the proposed logging is to take place in the Ruby Lake watershed. As the staff notes indicate, the maps were missing from the 2002 presentation so it is unlikely the effects on the Ruby Lake watershed were considered.

For this reason we cannot accept the staff conclusion: “ Tsain-Ko have carried out a public consultation…”. Canfor also did not appropriately describe the location of the cutblock in relation to Ruby Lake. The only reason Ruby Lake residents are now aware of the location of the proposed logging is by (my) walking the area and observing where the cut marks were in relation to the downslope. And now we are advised by Forestry Services that it has been previously approved and our comments are not relevant.

We are also receiving information that an Area A Water Management Plan is circulating which may involve Sakinaw and Ruby Lakes. The Ruby Lake Landholders Association formally requests the SCRD to provide not only notice but allow representation by the RLA in all such issues relevant to Ruby Lake.

2. INCONSISTENT APPROACH TO WATER QUALITY ISSUES

The SCRD has implemented two significant zoning changes specifically to the Ruby Lake area in the name of protection of water quality: imposing a 30 metre setback from the water (which is not applicable to Sakinaw) and designating Ruby Lake RU5 – a Rural Watershed Protection Zone. Many argue that this “downzoning” has the potential to reduce property values by restricting use. Thus, it seems quite inexplicable that the SCRD is not monitoring road building and logging activity in the watershed that will commence within a month or two. I understand that the SCRD has requested and will review the updated operational plans and the RLA encourages the SCRD to formally monitor the situation Also, Ruby Lake is not a “designated community watershed” (DCW) and will not benefit from the SCRD’s earlier resolution opposing logging in a DCW. We have asked that the licensee agree to implement all the standards and protocols applicable to DCWs to their proposed road building and logging activities north of Ruby Lake and to reduce the cut areas occurring on the downslope.

3. CLEARCUT LOGGING: EFFECT ON TOURISM, ENVIRONMENT AND SCENIC APPEAL

Ruby Lake and the Egmont/Earl’sCove area is considered a picturesque gem on the Sunshine Coast and has recently experienced a surge in local and international visitors as witnessed by the growth in the Ruby Lake Resort and the Bed and Breakfasts established over the last few years. The majority of the cottages and homes on the lake are occupied by retirees and seasonal visitors who come to this area for the pristine scenery and wildlife habitat. In fact, tourism is the number one attraction to this area. Although no data has been supplied on this point, it is most unlikely that this upslope logging will be not be visible by canoers, kayakers and boaters on Ruby Lake. From an environmental perspective alone, surely this is a pristine area of deserving of consideration for protection.

4. ACTION REQUESTED

The RLA asks that this Committee consider for adoption the following resolutions:

1. A formal request be forwarded to: Tsain-Ko, Terminal Forest Products and BC Timber sales asking that adequate prior notice (i.e. concurrent with the initial filing of a draft FSP) be provided to the SCRD, respecting any proposed logging within Electoral Area A.

2. Forestry licensees provide to SCRD staff (in a timely fashion and at least two months prior to logging commences) operational plans relevant to logging in watershed and lake or road- visible areas and that the SCRD monitor logging practices in watershed areas (include post-operational inspections) to adequately protect water quality.

3. This Committee confirms its prior resolution opposing logging in community watersheds.

4. The Ruby Lake Landholders Association be provided with notice and be given an opportunity to provide input and involvement of all matters affecting Ruby Lake, the Ruby Lake watershed and its contiguous lands.

SCRD Planning & Development Committee

This past Thursday morning, the Friends of Egmont, the Ruby Lake Landholders Association and other community members appeared before the SCRD Planning & Development Committee to voice our concerns regarding Tsain-Ko Forest Development Corporation's logging plans for the Ruby Lake, North Lake and Waugh Lake watersheds. We submitted the following six requests to the Committee based upon knowledge gained at the Watershed Meeting in Roberts Creek the night before and input from the Egmont Water Board and the local citizens who have fought hard to protect the watersheds over the years.

"Therefore, when we combine our concerns about our watersheds and all the proposed cutblocks in the Ruby Lake and Egmont area we recommend the following:

1. That the SCRD ensure on our behalf that the Waugh Lake Watershed is registered with the provincial government as a “Watershed Reserve.” (According to the BC Tap Water Alliance, Waugh Lake does not appear as a Watershed Reserve in their government documents; although, we have maps dating back from 1998 calling it a Reserve).

2. That the SCRD support our wish to see the North Lake Forest Service Road be decommissioned permanently beyond the last properties at North Lake. We are against Tsain-Ko’s plans to reactivate and extend this FSP which runs through the heart of the Waugh Lake watershed.

3. That the SCRD call for a moratorium on all clear-cutting on the Ruby Lake, North Lake and Waugh Lake watersheds. Tsain-Ko’s FSP is based upon Canfor’s 2002 Development Plan’s which is now 5 years out of date. We are calling for time for a new comprehensive Development Plan to be development that will reflect new knowledge both about watersheds and weather patterns.

4. That the SCRD extend to our watersheds, the same efforts it is undertaking to protect the Chapman Creek watershed. This would include contacting the Vancouver Coastal Health Officer who in turn would contact the Provincial Health Officer to ensure the long term safety of our drinking water supplies and that we, too, will be served by the ‘Drinking Water Protection Act.”

5. That the Joint Watershed Accord between the SCRD and the Sechelt Band be extended to include all coastal watersheds.

6. That the SCRD be as resolute as the GVRD whose watersheds are 88% crown land and who demanded that all logging in the watersheds be stopped.

7. That the SCRD join forces with other regional governments to bring about effective legislation for watershed protection that would be applied to both crown and private managed forest lands within watersheds.

The P&D Committee is comprised of all Area Directors and Chief Stan Dixon of the SIB. A number of motions were passed and once the minutes are available I will the post motions on the blog. The Committee expressed support for our concerns and reassured us that despite their immediate preoccupation with the Chapman Creek watershed they were aware of our needs and will begin work on our behalf. Their first action will be to request Tsain-Ko and its representatives to appear before the Committee to address our concerns and correct their glaring ommission of failing to inform the regional govenment of their logging plans.

The Committee has admitted they are being inundated with logging issues up and down the coast. Their planning staff is working flat out trying to keep up with the myriad of requests coming in from APC's and the Committee. Therefore, it is my suggestion we here in Egmont and at Ruby Lake continue to do our homework and assist the SCRD in any way we can.

Now, until I get the Committee's motions, I will begin posting some of our submissions.

Watershed Meeting

The issue of watershed protection is definitely a hot topic on the coast. The Roberts Creek Community Hall filled Wednesday night to hear how such a precious commodity as our drinking water is now finds itself at the mercy of logging companies here in BC. Anyone who has been reading the Coast Reporter for the past few months knows that the ravages of private land logging has once again made headlines with the stripping of trees around Wilson Creek and now the threat to Chapman Creek which is the water source for 26,000 people. While the main thrust of the evening was how to protect the Chapman Creek watershed, people from all coastal districts wanted to know how we have found ourselves in this mess and what can be done about it.

Lee Ann Johnson, emcee; Hans Penner, Concerned Citizens of the S.C.; Will Koop, BC Tap Water Alliance; Dr. Paul Martiquet, Vancouver Coastal Health Officer; Mayor Barry Janyk, Gibsons; Nicholas Simons, MLA Powell River - Sunshine Coast; Dan Bouman, Sunshine Coast Conservation Association (not shown)

A six member panel above attempted to supply us with the answers. We learned about the latest actions by citizens to block Western Forest Products from starting road construction to its public tenure cutblocks on the Chapman Creek Watershed and how such action opens them to a whole range of legal issues. Dr. Martiquet described the new Drinking Water Protection Act which he would like to see be put to the test by the Provincial Public Health Officer. Mayor Janyk explained the SCRD's role and how the possibility of suing the provincial government is a very real option. Nicolas Simons said he would do all he could (drawback: the legislature is in summer recess) but what is needed is a change in government. Dan Bouman illustrated what little power local governments have to protect watersheds while being held legally responsible to provide safe drinking water to its constituents. This is but a brief highlight of the meeting and the local paper will offer more.

For many of us, the history of how we are having to now fight for clean water was the most interesting part of the discussion and this was provided by Will Koop of the BC Tap Water Alliance. Koop has researched the history of BC's Watershed Reserves over the past ten years and explained how the Reserves were at one time completely off limits to all logging and how that protection has eroded since the 1950's through a collusion of successive provincial governments, forestry companies and forestry academics. FOE has purchased his book 'From Wisdom to Tyranny: A History of British Columbia's Drinking Watershed Reserves.' After picking up the book, we attempted to discover what category listing our Waugh Lake Watershed possessed from the list of watersheds at the back of the book. Waugh Lake was not on the list! We spoke to Koop at the end of the meeting to find out why and his only explanation is that the watershed though it has obviously been recognized as a watershed reserve may never have been 'officially' registered with the provincial government What the implications of this is we do not know but we intended to raise the issue at the SCRD Planning & Development Committee meeting the next day.

Three Point Properties

There have been three meetings in four days and I'll try to update the blog over the next few days. However, let us begin with Monday's Community Meeting with the development company that purchased the private lands on the other side of the Skookumchuck Narrows across from Egmont.

The land is a large private managed forest holding and much of the marketable timber was logged of when it was owned by Pacific North Woods Resources. There is a good map that shows the extend of those lands on the FOE - PNR website (click here). You will notice that the holding extends from Killam Bay, juts into Egmont Point, moves down the Narrows past the the Lafarge gravel mine and the rapids into Sechelt Inlet and ends two lots short of Highland Point. There are only a few areas were the property actually comes down to the water line: Killam Bay, two lots before Lafarge (but, the one with the 'million' dollar house was sold this year and the other is next to a noisy gravel mine), from the Earle Creek logging camp up to the SIB land holding and East Doriston where it picks up again until it hits those two Highland Point lots. Now, except for the logging camp which really is a beautiful setting and the east Doriston area most of the Inlet shore line is quite rugged.

The community's interest is those lands were twofold: a resort that didn't begin and logging that didn't seem to end; and PNR's pursuit of the crown lands of Egmont Point which we blocked. We learned that PNR had approached forestry at one point to procure Highland Point but the tenure there belonged to another company. So, now that trees are gone and Egmont Point is temporarily out of reach (another story), why should we care about this new company and its plans?

Well, TPP is interested in land on the Egmont side to use as a 'staging area' for the individuals who purchase its lots. 'Staging area' is a euphemism employed by developers to politely say 'we need parking' but it is crass to say so and FOE was taken to task for using the plain English version in a recent brochure. So, henceforth, FOE will use 'SA' when meaning 'parking.' So, TPP is on the hunt for SA in Egmont. TPP is in talks to purchase the Egmont Marina & Resort (EMR) for some of the SA and has approached Pete & Linda Dressler (PLD) for some of their property on the bluff above EMR for possibly more SA. But, how much SA does TPP need? Well, that is where the community comes into the picuture. We are to decide if TPP needs only EMR SA or EMR + PLD SA by letting TPP know how much development we would like to see over there. In other words, density + zoning = SA.

I'll stop here because I want to review the video of the meeting. We want to report the facts because we have promised never to write anything ever again based upon ugly rumours and offensive conjecture.

Forbloggen van Earlsy Coven...

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the Joe Stanton/Dennis Jensen concert at the CommCen on Saturday. A super show from two wonderful performers to celebrate our cause. Special thanks to Rob at A Lakeside Retreat for the use of four of his barbies :-*

Good food, good music, and good folks. What more could you want?
George