Logging By JASON KATZ Before a final proposal is decided upon for any potential- rly visible logging on the slapes -Of the Seven Sisters Mountains, -T would like to pose an option to Conventional clear-cutting, I have recently completed a small one-man logging show on . My own property in Cedarvale, -Wwhere I focused on an area of beetle-killed pine trees. By my own patticularly high aesthetic -Standards it was a: very suc- cessful job of selective logging. Patches were left either un- disturbed or without any damage to standing trees. Vary- ‘ing ages of trees were lelt .Unharmed anficthe final pro- duct, with gmall, irregular- Shaped openings, looks very park-like, The endeavor was as -much tandscaping as ‘ harvesting. a Previously 1 operated skidder for a selective logging strip ad- jacent to a clearcut at Lime Lake mear Cedarvale which - made use of a machine-reserve area, The results there as on my property were distinctly on the opposite end of the visual spec- trum from usual ‘clear-cutting techniques. : The reasons I have been given in the past by various Ministry of Forests personnel for not considering forms of selective logging revolve around damage to the non-harvested trees, Which may promote disease ‘or rot in the “leave trees”, Blow- . down is the other fear. In my re- cent project at home, any trees accidentally damaged by falling or skidding were harvested. As for blow-down, [’ll take -my chances, although with a wide variety of ages left stan. ding and a buffer strip greatly intact-for protection I do not anticipate much of a problem. Four years after logging alongside Lime Lake, that area has survived quite well. I will be the first to acknowledge that deliberate, careful, selective logging techni- _ ques are slow, and that weighed are unprofitable, The emphasis is on care and minimizing leave- tree damage, not high-volume harvest. However, in areas of ex- tremely high scenic significance I am convinced that: firstly, the visual ‘integrity of a highly scenic landscape (such as some in question on the Seven Sister) can be retained with selective logging methods. And as for economic balance I would propose a propor- tionate reduction in stumpage rates for any necessary areas on 1 will be the first to acknowledge that deliberate, careful, sefective logging techni- ques are slow, and that weighed against clear- cutting methods, are un- profitable, which selective logging were to be utilized to offset the slower productivity of harvesting. Areas with selective cutting potential could be isolated from clear-cut areas and offered to Other contractors either more against . clear-cutting methods 4 air ‘or ekpeticti¢ed int Belet" wh per tose trergbaaerit tty id Mieke mong ca tive harvesting techniques; perhaps horse-loggers, and at reduced or negligible stumpage rates. We hear so much talk about ““multiple use forests,’? and “integrated management.” We are glutted with TV commer- cials of ‘‘forests forever’’, with hikers traipsing through im- pressive seven-year-old planta- tions, In my 12 planting-related seasons I have yet to witness the splendor of any local settings as idyllic as those on TV. But I’m concerned about landscapes as viewed from more distant view- points as well, and some set. tings, especially in winter, will appear as large white patches for over twenty years. Well planned, carefully than had been anticipated, But if we are to give any substance to claims of multiple- use forest planning, then clear- cut harvesting may not be the only method to consider, If certain areas are ques- tionable to the maintenance of high scenic values then why not consider selective logging for those areas? It’s far slower, far less profitable, but a fair com- Promise to protect a landscape that is, in the Seven Sisters’ case, superior to any landscape in the Timber Supply Area and one of the superlative land- scapes in all of B.C, To borrow a final phrase sometimes heard from Ministry - of Forests officers in meetings and discussions: that of “sweetening the pot,” in the context of rewarding a contrac- tor with some concession or perk. I believe it’s time we “sweeten the pot” once for the unspoiled luxury of an unspoil- ed view of a remarkable scenic resource, But is we are to give any substance to clainis of . muitiple-use forest ' planning, then clear-cut harvesting may not be the only method to con- Sider. Drop the stumpage rate and allow a horse-logger to snake and weave his way around -without levelling the place. Leave a few undisturbed pat- ches, I welcome you to check out Lime Lake from a canoe (or the frozen lake). Come by and check out my place, I mean it, It harvested areas of smaller’ size,--~‘can be done, I know it because ] using irregular shapes and leav- ing islands of trees can appear as natural openings and are not so offensive toa viewing public. Even the best of well- intentioned plans may fall short of expectations through error in mapping interpretation, layout or harvesting, only, as in the case of the Seven Sisters to ar- 7 tive at openings ‘wnote* ‘visible’ ae MME TES! have done it, Multiple use? Integrated management? Forests forever? Can’t we cut out the glitz and approach this from a different angle? The above is a copy of ¢ letter sent by Cedarvale resident Jason Katz to Charlie Willson, district manager, Ministry of Forests, 8, Hazelion.” pean ds iA moet Logger overcomes injury — ‘TERRACE — Ron Snider has always been cautious in the woods during his 25 years of logging but now he’s more so folowing a serious accident three years ago. On Dec. 31, 1986 he was a drill operator at Kalum Poles. Just before coffee that day, he stopped to sharpen the drill bits on a grinder mounted on the air drill’s frame. But the governor that con- trols the speed of the grinder motor broke, causing it to revolve at six times the normal 2,200rpm speed, When Snider touched his drill bit to the grinder, the spinning stone wheel exploded. One piece went through his safety glasses, Slicing open his left eye while another struck his head above the left eyebrow, taking off a part of his skull. Other bits damaged both his thumbs and broke his ribs. What followed was a loss of his left eye, nine days of surgery in Vancouver and a reconstruc- tion of his skull with plastic. Snider, 54, went through ex- tensive rehabilitation and other assistance through the Workers’ Compensation Hoard and is now back in the woods , buck- ing for Bear Creek Logging. “The damage to Snider’s thumbs i means. he can’t fall and can’t work during the colder winter months, “My hands are strong, but there's no circulation in my thumbs. It’s a circulation pro- blem and it’s something 1’ll have to learn to live with,’’ he says. ' ‘When he first went back to work, Snider says people asked him about the accident but now most know what happened. “Pm an example standing Tight there in front of them,” said Snider of the need for safe- ty-at work. ‘Most people in the | .woods are super cautious but there’s'the odd one that’s ragg- .¢d around the edges.” ‘Eventually Snider. wants to -find’a job where he can work In- * doors during the winter months. “And even though he can’t work during the’ winter, he's been’ -keeping. busy. fixing up: a: new “home bought last ‘year. ~ ” . SERIOUS ACCIDENT: three ‘years: ago ‘hasn habilt woods, Extensive: ‘SUIZErY a lon followed Injur 't prevented Ron: Snider fram returning to work in the to his si skull and thumbs. He also lost an Se er a a a eee TO THE TERRACE STANDARD They're ganging up on premier | Dear Sir: There exists among us a group of people who are iry- ing to lead us back into bar- barism, in order that they may control and exploit us. These» people — presently control the mass media, and achieve their goals as much by withholding the truth as by distortion and outright falsehood. Any politician having mecral standards stands athwart the attainment of their goals. He is therefore an obstacle and must be removed. A person like Bill Vander Zaim, who is openly pre-life, is viewed as a threat, since he teminds people of moral Obligations many would prefer to forget. A politician who tries to » raise the general level of public morality, rather than lower it, is anathema in their eyes, One who is patriotic they hate, for he will oppose their drive to consolidate all governments into one, in a - world-wide government that they hope to control, Since they control the pro- cess of money-creation, which is at once the secret, and source, of their power, they want politicians in of- fice who will enlarge the public debt, rather than reduce it, since they will pro- fit from the resulting usury. In all these areas, Vander Zalm has offended the rulers of our invisible government, i who, exercise control. from. _ behind -the scenes, by the suffer, .as long as they can. . power of the purse, Therefore, the order went out some time ago that, ‘Vander Zalm must go.’’ The prostitutes of the press did as they were told, and Forever getting much to close Dear Sir: I watch the news and see all the conflicts that are of the greatest importance tc our politicians, most of which have little to do with the ecological state of our country and world. The legacy in which we are leaving our children has become inaudible to the ears of our politicians, yet these are the officials that we have elected into government and are supposedly the people that are there too represent Canada as a whole. What I see happening is a government forging a com- mitment to that of another government, not worrying about their own country's policies, practices, and peo- ple, Our government has allowed clear-cut logging, strip mining, and water and air pollution, just to have these materials shipped abroad for processing and re- distribution back to our own country to be sold to Cana- dians at twice to three times the cost of the original raw material, — And what is left in return? We end up with forests that . animals can not survive in, air that is unfit to breathe. Waters that have become un- fit for human consumption and that kills off anything - that lives in it. And places where mines were that: are unsafe for any type of in- habitation, animal, plant, or human alike. When the trees are gone, eventually became accepted: . launched a campaign of: hatred and distortion that. as truth by much of the public. The fruits of this campaign are now’ evident. Up has *‘}: become down, white has become black, and good has . become bad. The mind- manipulators can be proud of themselves and their - achievement. | The time has come for the | people of this province to | decide by just whom and what they want to be govern- ed. Do they want to elect their own people — those who will strive to do what is best for the province and its. People in the long run? Or do they want to let themselves be controlled by those selfish but faceless creatures who hide from public view, but endeavour The mind mani- pulators can be proud of themselves and of their achievement to rule by manipulating the levers of public information? We will then learn — too late — that we were the suckers who were sold a bill © of goods by the media manipulators, who exercise authority without respon- sibility, and seek to promote politicians who will have responsibility but no real authority, These people care not a whit how the. rest..of us; MAY: oo fp feed their own lust for thé. . : prerogatives of wealth and” power, Very sincerely yours, Howard T. Ennis, Jr. Hazelton, B.C. the air we breathe will become less and less replenishable because of the lack of conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen. Moisture created by plants and trees will no longer be evident, causing an at- mospheric drying condition,- much like we are seeing more and more in areas where moisture had been common place. The pollution of the water systems, are now to the point of total collapse ecologically, and may never return to their unpolluted state of several hundred years ago or even a hundred years ago. When the trees are gone, the air we breathe will become less and less replenishable. We have to realize that the environment is in jeopardy and doesn’t stand an even chance of recovery, if our political leaders are going to continue to sit on their hands and ignore what large cor- porations are and will con- tinue to do to the environ- ment in which we all have to live. I don’t think Canadians should let this go on forever, - ° because forever is getting | shorter and shorter: for everyone, including our children. - Write your MLA Prime Minister, . ‘J. Rocky Gray. _ Terrace, B.C, and’ ’