Monthly Archives: February 2019

The cold spell that hit the Edson-Hinton region for two weeks in February was thought to have dealt a fatal blow to mountain pine beetle populations but the director of communications for the Alberta Forest Products Association has taken a wait and see attitude. Pundits have forecast that the cold spell might have produced a 90 per cent mortality rate among beetle populations but Brock Mulligan is waiting until overwintering surveys are done in the spring. “I think there’s definitely some optimism that the cold spell might have made mortality higher than it ordinarily would be,” said Mulligan. The overwintering surveys would be done in the May or June timeframe and would be done by air and on the ground. Mountain pine beetles generate their own anti-freeze, so it takes temperatures of -30 Celsius for two or more weeks before any substantial die-off occurs.

As conservation efforts for the province’s southern mountain mammal gathers steam, heli-skiing and forestry are just two of the industries feeling the squeeze. Ross Cloutier wants to help save B.C.’s southern mountain caribou—but not at any cost. Renewed efforts to protect the threatened animals could hit his $150-million industry hard, says the executive director of Helicat Canada, which represents the country’s heli-skiing and catskiing operators. “Things are happening very fast right now, and we have some real concerns that decisions are being made based more on opinion than science,” explains Kamloops-based Cloutier, whose group’s members include 30 companies in B.C. “I think all sectors have a part to play in mountain caribou, and our industry is definitely willing to be a partner.” There’s no time to waste.

Early February has come and gone, and the launch of public engagement on caribou recovery plans in the B.C. Peace has yet to be confirmed. The talks were expected to begin early this month, after Peace River politicians pressed Environment Minister George Heyman and Forests Minister Doug Donaldson for a commitment at the BC Natural Resource Forum in Prince George last month. However, details and logistics have yet to be confirmed, according to the province. …The ongoing delay is frustrating local leaders, who say residents are being kept in limbo. Northern B.C. Liberal MLAs raised their concerns in the legislature this week about closed-door meetings and limited local engagement.

Sierra Club BC has joined Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) in its campaign to save a cutblock in the Dakota Valley that they say is home to “the oldest living trees in Canada.” The BC Timber Sales (BCTS) cutblock, located 9.5 kilometres from Roberts Creek on Mount Elphinstone, is scheduled for auction in spring 2020. The two groups are calling on the provincial government to direct BCTS to cancel the sale, since the area contains stands of centuries-old cedars. …BCTS, however, says the cutblock’s legacy trees – described as trees that are “exceptionally large and old” – already have a protected status. “For Timber Sale Licence A87126, legacy trees are protected as per BCTS’s best management practices for legacy trees,” the provincial agency said Thursday in an email to Coast Reporter. “BCTS staff also worked collaboratively with the Squamish First Nation to exclude trees from harvest plans that were of cultural interest to the Squamish Nation.”

Okanagan officials are expected to welcome a provincial government funding commitment of $111 million over the next three years to support wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts. Finance Minister Carole James revealed that spending priority in her 2019-20 budget presentation Tuesday in the Victoria. Bruce Smith, spokesman for the Regional District of Central Okanagan, said fuel modification efforts have been carried out by valley civic governments and the regional district over the past decade. …Sonja Zoeller, communication manager for the ministry of finance, indicated the new fire suppression money will be targeted at direct fire control, communication and community engagement during wildfire season. …As well, a further $13 million has been budgeted to address forest restoration in areas damaged by disease and wildfires.

Carman Smith, RPF (Ret), of Barriere was presented with the Distinguished Forest Professional award by the Association of BC Forest Professionals at its annual forestry conference in Kamloops on Feb. 7. Carman’s contributions to the betterment of forestry started with his graduation from the Faculty of Forestry at UBC in 1960 and continued to his retirement as Woodlands Manager for Gilbert Smith Forest Products Ltd. in 2006. During his career in the industry, Carman has operated with passion for the challenging Cedar-Hemlock stands of the Interior, and his contributions to policy development and Land Use Planning in the Kamloops TSA including Mountain Caribou Recovery Planning. …Carman is an innovator who is never afraid to work new technological advancements into his everyday practices, and “can’t” is not a part of his vocabulary.

Helicopters will be used to minimize the spread of Douglas fir beetles on Pablo Mountain, starting as early as Friday, Feb. 22, 2019. The project is an expansion of helicopter logging operations that have been underway in the Williams Lake area this winter. Pablo Mountain is about 10 kilometres south of Williams Lake. Douglas fir beetle populations are higher than normal in some parts of the Cariboo, but helicopter logging (used to selectively remove infested trees and protect other trees nearby) and related containment treatments have helped slow the spread of the beetles around Williams Lake. The forest pests normally attack small groups of trees and a significant infestation can weaken and eventually kill a tree over a period of about one year.