Che Corporation of the Willage af Hazelton

P.O.BOX 40, HAZELTON,B.C. VOJ1Y0 PH. 842-5991 FAX 842-5152

re-inventory of the Kispiox T.S.A. is four years late. Proposals to create
parks in the Seven Sisters and Swan Lake areas have been either ignored,
or assessed in a perfunctory manner. Government Sanctioned slash burning
poisons the atmosphere, and plans for aerial spraying of tons of herbicides
have been prepared. There is absolute disregard of legitimate Native land
claims of Native Canadians. Dangerous fungicides contaminate run-off
from lumber storage areas. Massive clearcuts dominate every accessible
valley bottom. Our new government subsidized sawmill has a capacity to
cut twice as many sawlogs as the region can sustainably supply. This list
could go on at great length and is no doubt familiar to every region in B.C.
where the forest industry operates.

It is time for a different approach to forest industry and management in
British Columbia. Instead of communities and citizens struggling
separately to address dozens of forestry issues in isolation, a more
unified and powerful response is required.

Local governments and community groups should join together to demand a
new approach to management of our Province's dominant natural resource.
It is the proposal of the Village of Hazelton that a ‘Forest Industry Charter
of Rights' be prepared which will state fundamental operation and
management parameters of the forest industry in B.C. These rules of
operation, once listed and adopted, would virtually eliminate the land use
conflicts which are presently disrupting community stability and health.
The public of B.C. would demand that this more wholistic approach to
forestry be adopted as a new section of the Forest Act. Instead of the
present legislation which is open to possible manipulation and abuse,
there would finally be concrete precepts which would bind industry and
government action.

The forests of B.C. are a common property resource. They should be
stewarded in a manner which will provide stable harvest levels while
insuring forest ecosystem diversity and stability. Economic benefits of
forest harvests should flow more equitably to the communities where
forest harvests take place. The following suggestions for a new Forest
Industry Charter of Rights would insure that such a fundamental

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