The Tsitika Follow-Up Gemmittee: One ofa kind FTER the New Democratic government of 1973 placed a moratorium on logging in the Tsitika Valley, pending further up called the study of the area, a ommittee was Tsitika Planning created. That committee was charged with developing an integrated resource management plan based on a thor- ough investigation of all land use opportunities through a series of pub- lic gs. Planning Committee examined all fe competing values such as: forest cover, wildlife, fisheries, recre- ation, and watershed ecosystems. It wasn’t until 1978 that the prov- ince’s Environment and Land Use Committee lifted the moratorium and established the Tsitika follow-up com- mittee to oversee the entire land use plan. To protect the killer whale reserve an early decision was made that any dumping of logs would not go through the Robson Bight area but rather go back through the watershed. For Mac- Millan Bloedel this has meant an extended long haul for its dumping grounds in Eve River. Bob Hopton took over as the IWA’s representative on the TFC by appoint- ment from [WA president Jack Munro in 1977, replacing former local union president Lawrence Scott, an original member of the planning committee. The TFC has been a unique experi- ment in administering decisions over land use conflicts. In many respects it has been one of akind and can act asa predecessor for such future conflicts. Nearby Schoen Lake Provincial Park was recommended by the TFC after the moratorium was lifted in addition to the attachment of Gold Lake to the Strathcona Park. Brother Hopton says the commit- tee listens seriously to the IWA but operates on a consensus basis. TSITIKA VALLEY Approximate Scale 1:165,000 a Ecological Reserves Recreational Fishing Corridors | i Summer Range Elk Winter Range i Deer Winter Range Alternate Deer Winter Range ———-— MacMillan Bloedel Boundary Watershed Boundary Mt. Cain Regional Park ‘Map illustration by Ingrid Rice © The Tsitika Valley has been carefully examined to protect values such as wildlife, fisheries, recreation, watershed ecosystems and forest cover. In June of 1990 the TFC will be touring Vancouver Island to publicize the logging plans for the lower Tsitika and receive further public input. Opening up the public debate on land use issues can only be a healthy thing to counter the forest industry’s tarnished image. The guys here have proven they're responsible in some delicate situations which will be important for future logging in the Tsitika — Bob Hopton, Local 1-363 Earlier this year the Western Cana- dian Wilderness Committee tried unsuccessfully to obtain a copy of MacMillan Bloedel's logging proposal submitted to government. “In the future, the public will be demanding greater access to such information,” says local president Sy Pederson. “Companies like MB are learning to do business more openly in areas where they have traditionally not operated publicly.” “Our members represent a cross section of public concerns. They've done a helluva job in making this pro- cess work.” © Near a potential washout site the side of road banks have been reditched and “arm- oured” with shot rock to prevent erosion. LUMBERWORKER/MAY, 1990/9