Some of Skeena Cellulose’s (SCI) logging practices have been up in the air recently... Literally. . That’s because over the summer. the company’s been harvesting trees with the aid ofa Sikorsky $61 helicopter. - The-target has been what’s known as ‘‘non- ‘-eonventianal timber stock”’ SCI holds in the , Shames River valley. “The term -refers 10 wood. that can’t be “logged through traditional methods primarily ‘because of access difficulties. Inthe case of Shames, explains SCI area - planner Wayne Topolewski, the problem is a valley ‘side dissected by a series of gulleys, too. environmentally sensitive to withstand ‘to geing roads. But heli-logging is an expensive business -- the 28-seat Sikorsky guzzles 150 gallons of fuel every hour it’s in the air. - Add on an hourly rental rate of $3,500- $4, 000 and Topolewski points out the cost of logging comes in about 75 per cent higher ~ than traditional methods. However, he adds, the lumber market prices - had-- been healthy enough to justify _. undertaking such an expensive operation. “Tt was a good opportunity economically to give ita try this year.’ “Noting the high price-tag does mean the ‘timber has to be of superior quality, he says Shames wood. met that requirement, the hemlock and balsam (plus minor amounts of _ Spruce ‘and cedar) being classed as above- average. ‘Topolewski estimates 750 cubic metres of “timber were brought out daily by the © chopper; a total of 40, 000 cu. m. over the two _ month cut. ~Topolewski predicts heli-logging will used ~ inoreasingly i infuture. - As areas where traditional logging methods used “are harvested, ‘‘non- Wayne Topolewski conventional’’ stands will become a: greater percentage of the available harvestable timber. He also points. out the system -is “environmentally friendly’? because it doesn’t require road building in sensitive aréas and logs are lifted off the ground, rather than dragged across it. - That, he explains, means younger and smaller trees aren’t damaged which in, turn can remove the.need for replanting. With the first season of heli-logging .deemed. a success, Topolewski says SCT is considering heli-logging ona yearly or bi- yearly basis. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, August 25, 1993 - Page AS oes sky high war liib ne ut Pieoyst inskine HEADING IN to the landing in the valley below, the big Sikorsky helicopter fabove) brings an- other couple of logs off the Shameés Valley mountain being logged this summer by Skeena Cellulose. At bottom left, engineer Shames Mountain Austin Douglas carries out one of the regular maintenance checks on the dig yellow bird while below a loader pies the lags aboard amore conventional form of timber transportation for the trip to the sawmill. STORIES. AND, PHO TOS. by | GLENN ( DREXHAGE. reyey cites od wsye ves es The how-to of heli-logging A day’s operation on Shames begins with five-man crews fiy- ing into the area slated for cutting in a Bell 206 helicopter. in falling the timber, they know the Sikorsky’s maximum load was 10,000 Ibs., or about two full-sized logs. - Thal means meeting certain welght and length requirements. The average log is 60-70 cm. in diameter and 30-40 ft, long, Readying the logs for collection Tequires pre-sctting chokers, short cables wrapped around the wood. Upon the Sikorsky’s arrival on the scene, the chokers are at- tached to the long cable dangling from ihe belly of the hovering craft. Once they’re secure, — the Air show draws in crowd Skeena Cellulose began exam- ining the viability of heli-logging a year ago, consulting with the Forests Service and Shames Mountain Ski Hill Corporation, With the ski area only a few miles beyond the logging, aesthetics were a major concern, said Topolewski. Therefore, . the . company designed the culblocks:in.a way that openings. This, he explained, resulted in a more visually pleasing outcome. The operation also provided an opportunity for the public to view the process in action. Betty’ Barton, manager of the Shames Mountain Tea-Bar, said the heli-logging was ‘‘preat’’ for business because it attracted curlous onlookers who often banana-yellow bird flies its cargo. to a drop-off site in the valley be- low. There, two ‘chasers’? remoye the chokers from the logs and re- bundle the cables, , The cables prepared, it’s time. for the Bell ta go back into ac- lion, returning the chokers io the fallers on the hills above. Meanwhile, o bucker at the landing site limbs and touches up the logs in readiness for loading on to the trucks which will carry them to the mill-in town, That cycle of cut, fly, buck and haul is repeated elght times a day, each taking about 70 minutes. The Sikorsky carries lwo pilots and they take tums flying the pick-up run. After four such. five-minute trips, the two on-site engineers descend on the helicopter to carry outa full maintenance check-up. mimicked -natural - valley moved on to the Tea Bar. Challenge That’s Peter Krause in . the photo, winner of this year’s Skeena River Challenge bike race. The riders raced from Prince Rupert to Terrace, . a distance of. 160 kilo- | - metres. of “Krause. covered the dis. fance in. just over four: hours, 7 " ihe ‘Sia? Is “for peonh arning. how to read, : College popular. More students than ever are signing up for courses at : Northwest: Community College. They are also Togister- ing earlier than. normal. , Brian’ Loptson,. the college’s: registrar, says some courses. are already full. For example, there i is a ‘waiting list for Adult Basic Education. Loptson says some people: might Hot be able to start that course until January, 1994... So far, approximately 1,200. students. have signed up and neatly two-thirds. have paid their course fees.. The. college another 150 to register by the end of September.