A10 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 26, 2003 . Region’s forest cash withers Victoria urged to change the formula that controls silviculture budgets By JEFF NAGEL THE NORTHWEST is being starved of its share of needed reforestation money — and it’s only going to get worse unless provincial rules are adjus- ted. Northwest towns and Skeena MLA Roger Harris are pushing Victoria ta do just that. The problem is that the new Forest Investment Ac- count (FIA), which re- placed Forest Renewal B.C., now doles out silvi- culture money based on how much logging was done over the previous three years. And the northwest stands to get very little be- cause not much logging has happened of late. “We're not harvesting anything so we actually get less money,” Harris said, adding it further pu- Senior Tories oppose merger SENIOR SKEENA federal Progressive Conservatives say they are opposed to the proposed merger of their parly with the Canadian Alliance. “If delegates vote “yes” they will be saying that it was OK for party leader Peter MacKay to blatantly and cynically reverse his stand as an anti-merger can- didate, on no other grounds except power at any price,” says Tory Skeena riding association president Ken Richardson. “A “yes” vote would say it is OK for MacKay to aid in a hostile takeover of the PC party, with the help of Bay Street bucks, slick advertising and the assis- tance of thousands of new members, re- cruited lo help kill the party that they are joining,” he added. Skeena Tories meet in Terrace Nov. 29 lo choose eight people lo send to a spe- cial Progressive Conserevative meeting back east next month to decide if the o Boab ad] nishes regions already suf- fering through an industry downturn. “We're logging at about 17 per cent of where we should be at,” he said. Harris wants the rules changed or an exception made to allow the Kalum District to get $2 millian “We're not har- vesting anything so we actually get fess money.” next year for silviculture- type projects. That's how much the Kalum Forest District got two years ago for work like enhanced silviculture and watershed restoration. And that $2 million was still a long way down, thanks to budget cutbacks, from district budgets of $10 million under FRBC. This year it fell to $1.1 million, says district ste- wardship forester Kevin Kilpatrick, eliminating many projects that would have generated local jobs spacing and pruning. And next year, if FIA's formula is followed, it wall fall further. “Based strictly on the formula, we might get around $500,000,” Kilpa- trick said. “It’s pretty bleak.” The window is also closing on an important’ opportunity to space this area’s 20-year-old stands in some of the best grow- ing sites in B.C., he said, This is the optimum time to do that work, which would allow har- vesting of those stands de- cades earlier, “It's an investment in the future,” Harris said. * merger will go ahead. The merger, to create the Conservative Party of Canada, has the blessing of MacKay and of Cana- dian Alliance leader Stephen Harper. Andy Burton. the issue. Tory support has not been much of a factor in Skeena federal election resulls over the years. In the last election in 2000, just 957 people voted Progressive Conservative here compared to the 12.704 people who voted for Alliance candidate Richardson, from Bella Bella, says that while a majority of the Skeena Tory executive is against the merger, the gen- eral membership may be evenly split on He’s predicting a loss of seals overall in the next election should the new party be approved. BUILT FOR DRIVERS 2 OOTY SS 2004 y Pontiac Sunfire SL Coupe or Sedan 4B MOKTK aman That loss could very well translate into the federal’ NDP becoming the official opposition, Richardson continued. Kevin Kilpatrick “It’s an investment in the northwest.” Actual replanting is less of a priority right now than inventory and mapping lype projects, Kilpatrick said. Those data gathering and analysis efforts are important in determining things like what level of logging is sustainable here. They also want to do more work on hardwoods to meet rising demand to cut those species. He said the formula is also steering more silvi- culture: money than can be efficiently used right now into the interior, where logging has ramped up to clear out forests infested with the mountain pine beetle. Terrace city council has iy yi 1 v20 - Black Fine TERRACE OAT CHRYSLER] TERRACE New) TOYOTA www.terraceautoma!|.com TERRACE TERRACE SKI CHRYSLER ae] TOYOTA info @terraceautomall.com STANDARD. advenising @terracestandard,com newsroom @terraceastandard.cam Your website/email address. could be here! | Contact us at 638-7283 MOTORS 2004 <7 Chevy Silverado Ext 4X4 “30 MOWTH SwarrLtase $398 | 534, 998" WH 4 ans DOWN ® CASH PURCHASE PRICE $0 SECURITY DEPOSIT oe MWe FREIGHT, PO! AND $750 CREDIT $158 ;512.298° CASH PURCHASE PRICE $0 SECURRY DEPOSIT OFFERS INCLUDE FREIGHT, POI AND $750 CACDIT 2004 y Pontiac Pontlac Grand Am SE Sedan 32.18 ;520498'| CASH PURCHASE PAICE $0 SECURITY DEPOSIT OFFERS INCLUDE FREIGNT, FOU AKO $750 CREDITS 2004