Environmental program Continued from page one

talk about it. They think we are look- ing for extra jobs and that we have a hidden agenda... they think we’re not interested in protecting the environ- ment...”

Dansereau says that Interfor has guaranteed the IWA that its members will be involved in the actual planning of logging operations and will have input into the type of harvesting sys- tems used and where and how roads are built.

With this full method of involve- ment, the union will be able to pub- licly defend its right to work in the forest, says Dansereau: “If we’re not careful about the environment and we're not careful about the message we're sending out the public will shut us down.”

Interfor’s Vice President of Forestry and Land-use, Fred Lowenberger says the changes will be major ones for the company. He says that, four years ago, he and other Interfor executives flew around to camps to give a series of pep talks. The results were as expected - it was business as usual, the next day nothing changed.

At a regional workshop in Port Hardy on October Ist, Lowenberger told IWA members that Interfor didn’t have an effective environmental pro- gram and wants to change that.

That is a major statement from a company that is responsible for 45 logging divisions in the province and who employs over 1,500 workers in them. Interfor and its contractors har- vest over 3.3 million cubic meters annually.

“We're going to emphasize doing good work,” said Lowenberger. “This

e At join regional conference held in Port Hardy, union members discuss environmental issues. Clockwise from left are Dave Mullet, Andrew Rivett, Rick Tisdale, Troy Ogden, Brian Edgington, Bob Freer, and Garth Davis.

is not a P.R. job... we’re going to employ our own resources, we're not going to hire a high profile guy to tell us what to do.”

The Joint Environmental Program will consist of four major compo- nents. They are: 1) Joint Envir- onmental Committees; 2) Education Program; 3) Training Programs; 4) Auditing Systems.

At the regional workshops held in Bella Coola, Port Hardy, Chilliwack, Campbell River and Sechelt, workers and management had discussions in order to refine the principles of the joint environmental initiative. They

also discussed the environmental issues that affect their work and dis- cussed what environmentally respon- sible work is and what the possibili- ties and problems of doing the work are. Workers also discussed what edu- cation programs and requirements are needed.

Interfor has taken some early actions to clean its act up. It has moved fuel tanks from sensitive areas, has cleaned up its “bone yards” and has installed burners in various garbage dump sites.

According to Bob Fechtner, Interfor‘s vice-president of logging,

who addressed the Port Hardy work- shop delegates, there needs to be a special focus on preventing landslides after logging. He said that if slides can be prevented, “then we'll have 50-75%. of our problems licked.” To help out in this area, Interfor has been back- hauling rock blast in sensitive areas and grass seeding steep bank areas.

With regards to protection of fish stream habitat, Interfor has taken an initiative on its own to review all areas that have been logged since 1988 and rehabilitate areas that threaten fish streams. (See article below.)

Company says fish stream rehab underway

¢ At Interfor’s Cleagh Creek division, assistant engineer Andrew Meyer stands by a stream that has been rehabilitated by loggers. Natural heavy debris

remains near stream.

Along with four other major forest companies on the B.C. Coast, International Forest Products was stung by an environmental audit report in late July which gave it a fail- ing grade at protecting fish habitat. In 3 cut blocks audited by a consulting firm, Interfor was given the thumbs down.

At that time, then Forests Minister Dan Miller hauled the Chief Executive Officers of the companies on the car- pet, to demonstrate the government’s determination to put an end to envi- ronmental degradation.

The Minister directed the Forest Service to work with the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and the Attorney General to ensure that the clean up is being done properly.

Interfor has decided to take the results of the audit on the chin and is working diligently to clean up the areas in the Chamiss Bay, Easy Creek area on the northwest coast of Vancouver Island. In addition to com- plying with clean-up orders from the B.C. Ministry of Forests, the company has launched a full review of cut blocks harvested since 1988, when the B.C. Coastal Fisheries Forest guide- lines were put into place.

Interfor’s Vice President of Forestry and Land-use, Fred Lowenberger has instructed all divisional managers and operation managers to check every single cut block and deliver a réport to head office by the end of this year.

Mr. Lowenberger says he was sur- prised that the 3 cut blocks in the Chamiss Bay area showed up in the report, since the company had them signed off by the Ministry of Forests. However, since that signing off, heavy rains on the west coast of Vancouver Island caused debris in various gullies to slough out into fish bearing creeks.

The company says it is determined not to let this happen again. Lowenberger says that Interfor is going to live up to guidelines and keep debris away from fish streams. “

At Interfor’s Cleagh Creek Logging operation near Port Hardy the compa-

ny has begun the clean up program. According to Andrew Meyer, assistant engineer, the company wants to clean up over and above the regulations.

“We feel that Cleagh Creek is in good shape, any rehabilitation that has been done has been started,” says Meyer.

The company has developed a spe- cial grapple which should aid in clear- ing gullies of debris that could wash towards fish streams. To prevent debris from going into streams when heavy rains occur the company is tak- ing special action. .

“Any creeks that we plan to hand clean or machine clean will have the debris moved high above the water mark,” says Meyer.

In natural creek areas the workers will leave large, natural debris, which is necessary for gravel retention.

To prevent large trees from falling into fish streams the company is designing leave strips which will mini- mize the chance of blowdown. The word to the workers near the fish streams is “fall away, yard away.”

Workers are looking out for debris left by breakage which could wash into streams. It’s a costly and time taking procedure which is necessary.

“The payoff is not losing our cut and having the public agree with what the company is doing.” says Meyer.

Local 1-71 Business Agent Ron Uridge says it’s encouraging that workers are involved in environmen- tal issues and are showing a lot of early enthusiasm in getting involved in the joint program. He says that enthusiasm has to be maintained.

He also says that as the [WA - Interfor joint environmental program progresses, workers will require train- ing in the fish/forestry guidelines in order to do the job more effectively.

Along various banks near streams, the company has done grass seeding to provide a matt for other vegetation. It has planted alder in various areas where road has been built to recondi- tion the soil and lessen erosion.

2/LUMBERWORKER/OCTOBER, 1992