10 Terrace Review — Wednesday, May 7, 1986 An Open Letter to British Columbia's Professional Foresters I would like to thank the Professional For- esters for their letter ex- pressing the need for “‘an effective program’’ for brushing and weeding new forests. Although I concur that we need an effective program and I sympa- thize with their frustra- tion, I do not agree with their conclusion that “chemical control is more effective and cost- efficient’’. I believe that pesticides have a place in re-forestation, but the public sees the use of ‘chemicals in our society taking on, what appears to be, epidemic propor- tions. Pesticides is a generic name that includes her- bicides (weed killers), in- secticides (insect killers), fungicides (fungus kil- lers). The experience of a pesticide epidemic that became an addiction is exemplified very well within the agricultural community. Since WW II, the agricultural com- munity has generally adopted chemically dependent monocrop agriculture. The use of pesticides was utilized to gain advantage on the 20 percent average loss per year to pests whether they be weeds, insects, or fungi. The use of pesti- cides (which is now a ma- jor cost to farmers) has increased twelve fold since WW II and on the short-term seemed to benefit agriculture. Over the long-term we are still in the range of losing 20 percent of our crops to pests and agriculture is now addicted to chemi- cals; they have to use them with their monocroping farming methods. I see the same process happening with forestry; chemical dependent monocrop forestry. The public is always hearing, as you point out in your letter, that “foresters work within a stringent set of govern- ment approved registra- tion and regulatory con- trols on chemicals used and methods of applica- tion’’. This is true, but I believe that the system for verification of chemical safety is highly inadequate, In 1984 the U.S. National Academy of Sciences estimated that 64 percent of all pesticides lacked even minimal data on their potential health risks. The public tends to be suspicious about pesti- cides. They need legisia- tion which gives them a mechanism for public in- volvement in the regula- » Options available tion of pesticides. Once the chemical is registered it seems the public must prove it is harmful, yet, the public is continually frustrated in getting in- formation about the pro- duct. With public suspi- cions about using chemicals, the Profes- sional Foresters are go- ing to continually be fought on their use until public confidence is restored. That is going to be a long process as our “backing’’ of chemical harm to ourselves and our environment is only beginning to appear. It is my belief that we must consider the op- tions available to us that are positive and create less confrontation and more cooperation. For instance, an alternative method of brushing and weeding which, I believe, should be thoroughly researched, is using ungulates in the form of sheep, goats and elk. Grazing ungulates on logged land could poten- tially create an industry. The effectiveness of ungulates varies with the type of vegetation. Where the problem is fireweed it would take about three sheep or goats per hectare to knock the fireweed back. With ‘‘woody’? weeds ‘such as alder and willow the number of goats or elk in relation to the sheep would have to be increased because goats and elk are browsers while sheep are grazers. Grazers prefer plant -species below 18 inches while browsers prefer species above 18 inches. This type of grazing works quite well on spruce plantations. | don’t know to what ex- tent ungulates can be utilized, but it is my opinion that this is an area that we should research, Foresters express the need for chemicals to get rid of ‘‘weed’’ trees. Poplar, aspen and alder are very fast growing trees that usually pioneer a logged over area, They are hardwood trees that are considered weeds, because they get in the way of B.C.’s huge soft- wood lumber industry. It is interesting to note that Small Business en- trepreneurs are Process- ing and marketing alder profitably. West Canada Hardwoods Ltd. of Sur- rey saws alder logs into planks and then ships them to furniture manufacturers in Canada and the U.5. They are also developing a market in Japan for chip sales. Another company, Renova Manufacturing Ltd. in Ottawa, is utiliz- ing alder through a den- sifying process. In the process the air is sucked out of the wood and then a gas is pumped in under high pressure. In the end the product looks and feels like sanded walnut, one of the costliest woods of all. Renova Manufacturing believes that their product can be profitable at. half the price of the cheapest conventional hard- woods. . These are only a few “positive”? ideas that I have come across; I’m sure there must be many more. Could we join together in a common cause of secking viable options? William Hayes Terrace Peaks gymnastic competitors in the northwest championships (back, left) Loranda Kirkaldy, Sharlotte Jordan, Karen Wilkinson, Jennifer Watt (front, left) Stephanie Kuhar, Dena Ferettl, Joanna Mutschke and Heather Albright. Provincial Liberal Candidate, Skeena Minor softball scoreboard April 29 T-Ball — EMCO 15, Centennial Lions 13; L’il Oilers 8, Vic Froese 15. Mites — Tunnel and Rock 15, Bri-Don Specials 7; no score from East End Supremes and Swifty Muffler. Squirts — Middleton Trucking 20, Wade Contrac- ting 7; L’il Gassers 17, Co-op Stars 10. Peewees — Terrace Drugs 6, C&B Services 5; All Seasons 14, Operating Engineers 6; CUPE Hawkeyes 14, Cedarland Tire 8. _ Bantam — Doc’s Cartage 25, Thornhill Huskies 13. May 1 T-Ball — Vic Froese 15, EMCO 14; L’il Oilers 20, Centennial Lions 20. Mites — East End Supremes 9, Tunnel and Rock 8; - Bri-Don Specials 10, Swifty Muffler 6. Squirts — Middleton Trucking 11, Copperside Aces 7; L'il Gassers 8, Mr. Mikes 3. Peewee — Cedarland Tire 12, C&B Services 4; Nor- thwest Sportsman 10, Terrace Drugs 8; CUPE Hawkeyes 9, Operating Engineers 9. Bantam and Midget — Skeena Hotel 17, Doc’s Car- tage 14. May 2 Peewee — CUPE Hawkeyes 18, Terrace Drugs 6; C&B Services 21, All Seasons 16; Cedarland Tire 19, Northwest Sportsmen 13. ex MULTIPLY st $6 PROFITS fy USE THE CLASSIFIEDS J. PHILLIPS ‘CONTRACTING LTD. YOUR R-2000 HOMEBUILDER Where you save energy with heavier insulating and the use of a heat exchanger. FOR MORE INFORMATION PHONE 635-2315 ee Notice is hearby given that a public hearing will be held Wednesday, May 21, 1986 at the Thornhill Community Centre commencing at 7:30 p.m. to receive public input on “Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine Electoral Area ‘E’ Zoning Bylaw No. 194, 1983 Amendment Bylaw No. 237, 1986.” The purpose of this proposed amending bylaw is to amend the “Reglonal District of Kitimat-Stikine Electoral Area ‘E’ Zoning Bylaw No. 194, 1983”, commonly known as the Thornhill Zoning Bylaw, by redesignating Lot A, Plan 4628, D.L. 372, R.5, C.D. from A-1 (Single Family Residential) to RuM (Rural Industrial) zone in order to allow the con- struction of an automotive repair shop to be used as an Industrial home occupation. NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Any and all persons affected by, or having an In- terest in this proposed amending bylaw may make submission to the Public Hearing Committee up to and during the public hearing. Written submis- sions, where possible, are requested. The proposed bylaw, “Regional District of Kitimat-. Stikine Electoral Area ‘E’ Zoning bylaw No. 194, 1983, Amendment Bylaw No. 237, 1986” may be Inspected at the office of the Reglonal District of Kitimat-Stikine, No. 9 - 4644 Lazetle Avenue, Terrace, B.C., Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Secretary-Administrator Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine