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Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 3, 1992 —~ - Page A5

The future of our forests

TERRACE — The forest service
and local interests groups move a
Step closer this weekend to put-
ting together a major regional
land use proposal.

Participants in a June 6-7 work-
shop will discuss: five draft op-
tions on how. the area’s land and
resources should be managed.

Those options have emerged
from a year-long process which
Saw representatives from a wide
range of groups give their
Opinions to the forest service.

The options aid the comments
which helped define them are
contained in-a more than 100-
page document which has been
sent out to all participating
groups.

Kalum South regional jand use
co-ordinator Glenn Smith said the
five suggested management
regimes are:

* Status quo - this would leave
the emphasis on logging, histori-

cally the main driving force be-
hind the region’s economy. Pro-
tecting non-timber values would
comtinue (o be handled through
referruls to the appropriate
government agencies and contact
with interest groups,

* Emphasis on a particular
resource. value - this would app-
ly where one or more resources
are deemcd to be so valuable it
limils the extent to which any
others can be accommodated,

An example, Smith said, would
be deciding goat. habitat was so

-important in a given arca that

management. there would be
driven by the need to preserve
and/or- expand the amount of
habilat available.

* Emphasis on integrating as
many resources as possible - the
goal here would be maximum ac-
commodation of all recognized
values through ‘‘acceptable com-
promises’’, That, Smith pointed

Just what
is a value?

TERRACE -- When the participants in the Kalum South planning pro-
cess talk about resource values, what exactly are they referring to? —

Co-ordinator Glenn Smith says representatives of the numerous inter-
est groups involved came up with a list of no fewer than 24 values
which have to be considered when drawing up the final plan.

They are:

Access - “Recreationalists like access, naturalists maybe don’t,’”'
Air quality - recognized problems exist around slash buming, acid

rain and fluoride emissions.

Biodiversity - to be maintained throughout the entire area.
Fish - important to commercial, sports and aboriginal interests as

well as food supply.

Fish habitat - any development in a watershed adversely effects

habitat to some extent.

Fishing -- a balance must be achieved to maintain sustainability.
Floadplains - perhaps the most valuable areas for many resource

values.

‘Heritage - includes archeological, historical, cultural and spiritual

values,

Hunting - recognized as an exisling use.

Minerals -
ventory ‘‘highly incomplete’.

valuable deposits. found in planning area and current in-

: Mushrooms - research and publi¢, involvement negded, toinderstand .

-showrbest to mange: this issue. ©

should be re-established, .

Recreation - important to quality of life of Tocal residents and to
- tourism industry.

-be gill bn wogleeliiias
Old growth: +. wherc.old growth,dpes Hot, exist fitea rwatershed pits

Riparian zones - - uncut, strcamside buffer zones important for many

Teas ous.

Scenic values - important along major river and highway corridors,

Soil- a main contribulor to sustainability of many resources.

Timber'- fundamental component of many resource interests from
old growth to timber supply, wildlife habitat to recreation.

Timber harvesting - great importance to local employment and eco-

nomic stability.

Tourism - high use corridors especially important

Trapping -a licensed use of forest land.

Water - much local concern over quantity and quality.

Wilderness - an important attribute provincially and locally.

Wildlife - valuable to maintain ecological balance and recreation,
tourism and commercial opportunities.
’ Wildlife habitat - critical to maintaining wildlife populations,

Compromise in the Kwinageese

TERRACE -- A plan selling out
what foresters consider to be a
progressive vision for jogging in
the Kwinageese River valley near
Meziadin is to be unveiled tomar-
Tow night

A public mecting is being held
here. to. gauge public reaction to
what’s.. called) an Integrated

_. Resource Management Plan.

That plan calls for preservation
ofa large portion of the 800
‘squarc-kilometre valley cast of
Meziadin Junction,

OA relatively small valley, the
Kwinagecse contains nearly 400
small lakes, including Fred
Wright’ Lake and Kwinagecse

Lake, <3

~The: Department of Fisheries
‘and Oceans ‘estimates 20 to 30 per
cent. of the salmon in the Nass
sysitm spawn in the

so

Kwinageese and its tributaries.
It’s located immediately north of
the Swan Lake Wildermess Area.

‘We've recognized that this is
a sensilive area,’’ says Tony Kel-
ly, Orenda Forest Products’
woodlands manager, ‘We're
trying to meet what society wants
and still provide economic ac-

_ tivity for the region.”

Included in the plan are:

* A one-kilometre buffer zone
the: length of the Kwinageese
River.

* Large buffer zones around
Fred Wright Lake and
Kwinageese Lake. Some selective
logging may be permitted in buff-
er zones, but no clearcuts.

* Migratory corridors for the
valley’s grizzly bears.

* A main road following an un-
orthodox route high on the east

ia

Thaaq

out, would require “everybody
giving a little’’.

values. In a specific watershed,
that might mean leaving a cerlain
percentage uncut to protect old
growth forests while at the same
time setting aside another portion
for the forest industry.

* Preservation of resources -
this is a “hands off’ approach

which would “leave that area to

go through its own natural
cycles,’’ Smith explained,
Tt would mean excluding afl de-

velopment, even for recreational

purposes,
He said these various options

will be examined more closely in

the workshop and note taken of
any comments or suggested
changes,

Experts in each particular field
-- forestry, wildlife, fisheries: --

will then use those comments in

analyzing the potential impacts of
each option.

The results will be brought back
fo a similar mecting this fall at
which the effects, benefits and
costs of cach approach will be
outlined.

At that point, participants
would then begin work on agree-
ing to a single, consensus oplion
on which to base resource man-
agement in the South Kalum dis-
trict.

likely mean taking the best of
each of the five options currently
being considered. ......

However, he added, that deci-
sions could change as further in-
formation became available.

Smith anticipates the final plan
will be reviewed every five years.

“This is laying the founda-
tions,”” he added.

The workshop takes place at
Caledonia Senior Secondary

school this Saturday and Sunday
beginning at 9 a.m. each day.

That, Smith suggested, would

Glenn Smith

Anyone interested in learning
more. about the process and
proposals can contact Smith at
ihe forest district office, 638-
3290.

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LETTERS

TO THE TERRACE STANDARD

Make it
all one
big park

Dear Sir:

I would like to suggest that
the entire provinec of B.C, be
designated as ane big park so
that there will be no more cul-
ting of trees, mining, . fishing
and anylhing else that may-be
on the protection {ist of the en-
vironmentalists.

Of course that statement is
ridiculous but at the same. time
we will just have te. get real.
Whenever we talk. about
saving our cuvironment we
must: also talk about jobs for
our peaple.. -

What is, the point of saving
our environment if we do not
assure our. people of a means
‘of earning a living. I used to be
a safety supervisor. with.onc of
‘the largest mining companies
in-the country. and the main
theme was that safety and pro-
“duction bad to go hand in
hand. :

The “enviromnentalists must
citsure thai at the same tiine
_} they work to protect; our en-

‘vironment that: they work as
-hard to protect and create jobs.

There is no doubt in my
mind that in the very near fu-
ture the former Soviet Union
_will begin producing goods in-
volving wood mining, fishing
and other. products and when
Abat lime comes our people
-will- have a much harder time
as the markets will be-smaller
‘because of the’ influx: of such
‘products in.the markets around
‘| the world. mo
While I believe i in protecting
the environment I think it is
‘equally as important to all our
people to maintain their dig-
nily by having. a chance to
work.

Many people are dying today
from things such as drugs and I.
am certain: that this is because
‘they are not-able to get. jobs
and to feet they arc contribut-
{ Hagtt? JSG ani Uh
(Meads urges aC

“J: “Anite Nabess,*

- Terrace, B.C,

— |
letters
on A6

_ AT STAKE in the Kalum South. Resource Management planning process is everything from Kitimat

to Nass Camp. Each number represents one of the units into which the region has been divided.

side of the valley -— instead of
Straight through the middle. The
favoured route is about cight kilo-
metres longer than the conven-
tional route would have taken.

*‘As logging plans go, it is ex-
cellent,” says Steelhead Society
spokesman Rob Brown, noting
pains taken to detour around
sensitive fish habitat.

’ But because it’s one of the few
remaining unlogged valleys that
contain summer-run steelhead, he
said complete preservation should
be considered.

‘Maybe there shouldn’t be any
logging in the Kwinageese at
all,” he said, ‘Maybe that
(preservation) should be an op-
tion.”

More than 65 per cent of the
valley’s 52,300 hectares would be
completely preserved under the

plan, says professional forester

Rod Amold, who helped develop

the plan. ;

Of the 24,683 hectares of
operable forest, 9,000 hectares —
more than a third of the total —
would be deferred, leaving about
15,600 hectares for logging.

Also developed in the planning
process was a system of ccologi-
cally mapped management units,
which break the. valley up into
different ecosystem zones.

The plan cvaluates each part of
the valley based on ecological,
fish, wildlife, recreation and tim-
ber values.

One part of the plan — based
on a request from DFO — would
eliminate an existing road into
Fred Wright Lake to remove road.
access and better protect the
habitat there.

That, says Arnold, raises inter-

esting issues of access versus
habitat protection.

‘*What’s going to happen to
those ‘people who have becn
using that little piece of the
world?”’ he asked.

The plan is only in at a draft
stage, and the foresters hope to
make more changes based on
public input.

‘We want to know whal. the
public wants,” says Kelly, ‘Not

just one pressure group or train of

thought, but everybody.”

Once: the plan is. finalized,
Orenda will develop a five-year
development plan for the valley
and then seek cutting permits,
The company. hopes to. begin
toad-building next year, and to
slart logging in January; 1994,

‘The public meeting is Thursday,

June 4, at 7:00 pam. at the Inn of

the West.

About
letters

The Terrace Standard
welcomes letters to the editor
on all topics, All letters must
be signed and carry an ad-
dress and local telephone
number. Addresses or phone
numbers won't be printed
with the letter, but they are
necessary for confirmation
of the letter’s authenticity
The writer’s name will be
published. Requests for
names to be withheld may be
granted in extraordinary cir-
cumstarices,

Thanks’
classifieds. oe
Letters containing libelous
or objectionable matter will
[be edited or returned. to the
writer, All letters are run-on
a space available basis, with
shorter letters likely to be
published soonest.-

section of the

. Thank you letters should,
be submitted to the-““Card of

The . ‘Start is for people
learning how to read,

Watch out!

If you have lots of noise
ata party, watch out.

The RCMP will charge
you.

That means you will go
to court.

- The. city. has a law
; Against, loud noise.

The noise can be loud.

7 music or shouting.
There is fine for loud

noise.

It can be as low as $100.
It can be as high as
$2,000.

RCMP say people have
told them there are loud
parties, —

_ The law also says loud
noise can be a dog bark-
ing.

Tt can also be construc-
tion work.

“4 time.

Work

It is Hire A Student
Week.

All kinds of students are
looking for jobs.

The students can do all
kinds of work, |

You can hire a student
for all of the summer. .

Or you can‘hire a stu-
dent for a short period of

Phone 635-71 34, «