8/LUMBERWORKER/MAY, 1990 Na. © Dependent on long term development of the Tsitika Valley watershe. Sutherland, Chris White and Kevin Hopton, members of Courtenay, B.C. Local 1-363. S_ is a young logging crew. Left to right are: Dan Hadley, Ian Loggers await decision on future of Tsitika Valley VE RIVER, B.C. — As work- ers and preservationists anxi- ously await a decision on the future of logging in the lower Tsitika Valley, a watershed on the eastern side of Vancouver Island, about halfway between Camp- bell River and Port McNeill, the pro- vincial government drags its heels. It seems that the Socred govern- ment doesn’t have the courage to make a decision on MacMillan Bloe- del’s cutting plans until after an elec- tion. Since early February, 147 IWA -CANADA Local 1-363 members in MacMillan Bloedel’s Eve River Divi- sion have been waiting for the word to shift some of their logging activities to the lower cut blocks in the 39,500 hectare valley. Logging in the Tsitika Valley, an area of contention since the early 1970s, has been overseen by a govern- ment appointed watchdog group called the Tsitika Follow-up Commit- tee (TFC) since 1978. On the 13 member committee, along with representatives from forest industry, B.C. Forest Service, the pro- vincial Ministries of Park and Envi- ronment, the public, and the Habitat Branch of the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, is Bob Hopton, arank and file member of Local 1-363. Preservationist groups have pro- tested further logging in the lower Tsitika and say that a nearby killer whale habitat is in jeopardy if further logging continues. At present Mac- Millan’s logging road is about 9 km. from the mouth of the Tsitika River’s ecological reserve. To protect the killer whale habitat, the TFC has carefully put together a road building and harvesting plan to minimize any possible impact on the eco-reserve. In the lower Tsitika, the company is relying on an annual cut of 49,000 cubic metres on its total annual cut of 360,000 cubic metres for the entire Eve River Division. However the company’s planned use of grapple yarders and extra road and backspar trail construction has Brother Hopton concerned. Hopton says that MacMillan Bloe- del must get away from engineering its logging sites for the use of grapple yarders, as the pressure is on to do away with them. MacMillan Bloedel’s Divisional For- ester Michel de Bellefeuille admits that the company is losing land base due to the use of grapple yarding techniques and says that “the com- pany is moving in the direction of long-line systems.” “The guys (IWA members) here have been working in a fish bowl and under some high pressure situations,” says Brother Hopton. “They’ve also proven they’re responsible in some delicate situations which will be important for future logging in the Tsitika.” “The TFC has to meet political pressure with practical measures,” adds Brother Hopton. He also says there is a large public demand to discuss selective logging which can be a technical and complex issue. “We have to figure out what selec- tive logging is in the first place,” says Hopton. Local President Sy Pederson says selective logging should only be done on a site specific basis, with consulta- tion and approval of the falling crew. “Whether or not it can be done safely really depends upon talking with the people on the ground,” says Pederson. e Examining a model of the Tsitika Valley are (1. to r.) MB's divisional forester rep. on the Tsitika Follow-up Committee and Local 1-363 president Sy Pederson. The local president says that smaller clear cuts should be imple- mented wherever possible and that experimental selective cutting must be encouraged. He says the company shouldn’t go larger than 40 hectares per clear cut and should reduce that maximum size wherever possible. Most clear cut openings in the Tsitika are 100 hectares in a dis) pattern. Michel de Bellefeuille says th pany is seeking approval for a five year plan to log about 220 hectares in each year. The plans include two cut blocks designed to have minimal visual impact along the viewscape from both inside and outside of the Robson Bight ecological reserve. MacMillan Bloedel has used con puter imagery to superimpose the proposed cutblocks from 7 different viewpoints which examine the whole Tsitika logging claim. Road building techniques devel- oped in the upper Tsitika will be implemented which will see avoidance of side casting of debris, less shot rock from blasting with immediate grass reseeding of road beds \- vent erosion. End-hauling durin; id building will also be used. Mr. de Bellefeuille says that any logging activity has carefully avoided destruction of fish habitat. On this basis he says that MacMillan Bloedel can guarantee the avoidance of aman- made disaster near Robson Bight. In fact, British Columbia’s coastal fish/forestry guidelines for logging near fish streams are based on a clas- sification system developed in the Tsitika. Mr. de Bellefeuille says the com- pany fears a greater impact on the killer whale sanctuary could result from the disturbance of the eco- reserve by tourists and power boats which routinely invade the restricted area. The killer whale beaches, where the whales rub themselves along the rocky bottom and shore, are closer to the Western Forest Product’s Naka Creek logging road which is also in TFL #39. The Tsitika harvesting plans have also set aside more than 2,000 hect- ares in special ecological reserves which are not subject to logging. The TFC has also set aside Deer and Elk, summer and winter ranges for the preservation of those species. In addition, 2 stretches along the Tsitika River are designated as recre- ational fishing corridors. e A hydraulic log loader swings logs in th ing has taken place for more than a deca’