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Rethink Pemberton logging Dear Ms.

Rethink Pemberton logging

Dear Ms. Bernice Patterson,

I write with respect to your company’s advertised amendment to its 2000-2004 Forest Development Plan covering Weyerhaeser’s Pemberton timber licences, to express my concern at your expressed intentions to exercise your timber licence over cut blocks 800-5 and 800-6. I am concerned at the ecological and visual impact this will have on the community and urge your companies to focus their operations elsewhere. These concerns are outlined below.

Contravening the IWMP

As a Pemberton resident and home-owner, I am concerned at the impact the town’s rapid growth and development is having on its environment. The town is already struggling with sewerage treatment capacity, endless construction, and increasing commercial tourism impacts. All these things need to be monitored diligently, and planning processes and forums go a long way towards managing decision-making.

Such a process was undertaken in the valley in the early 1980s. The Integrated Watershed Management Plan was a product of extensive consultation, with various stakeholders and experts at the table. The efforts put into the production of these documents is completely wasted if they aren’t used as guiding resources.

The IWMP provides for a limited annual logging within the watershed — a contract for the entire permissible amount already exists. For CRB/Weyerhaeuser to exercise their timber licence here will breach the recommendations made in the IWMP, and negatively impact your company’s reputation as a good corporate citizen, flying in the face of guidelines that were developed co-operatively, accounting for all the stakeholders involved.

Impacting the community’s watershed

Quality of surface water is a primary concern for residential and community drinking supplies, and the proposed logging runs directly through the community of Pemberton’s watershed. The watershed is so vital to the community, to both water quality and the safety of our drinking water, that any activity that may have a deleterious impact on the watershed should be guarded against, and a precautionary approach adopted.

The long-term cost of remediating the watershed, or working around damage to provide alternate sources of community water are such that this licence should not be exercised. CRB/Weyerhaeuser have not shown they can adequately manage the impacts on Pemberton Creek and the upper riparian zone, the fish stocks in that creek, as well as other wildlife that inhabit the area. The consequences are so far-reaching for the ecology of the region that I urge you to reconsider your intention to operate these blocks.

Fire and Landslide hazards

As a rural community, we are vulnerable to "acts of God", such as wildfires and landslides. We need to guard against developments that will increase our susceptibility to fire and landslide. The slash left behind in this cut-block will increase Pemberton’s vulnerability to fire, in a climate of already high wildfire threat rating.

Further, the topography of the proposed logging area, with its thin soils and moss, is stabilized by the existing trees. If 70 per cent of those trees are removed, this slope, which already has a history of slide activity and damage to Pemberton Creek, might be dangerously unstable. CRB/Weyerhaeuser has not provided evidence or a geo-technical report to show how they might address such dangers.

Impacting the community’s tourism values as a Gateway to the backcountry

A key finding from the 2000 report, "Forest Tourism Opportunities Study for Squamish Forest District & In-SHUCK-ch / N’Quat’qua Statement of Intent Area" was that "the main challenges to tourism and economic development [in the region] continue to be the lack of infrastructure, services and amenities in the rural areas, the lack of community/political support for tourism, and land and resource management concerns as use expands. Growth management and land use are real concerns especially along the Highway 99 corridor.

If not managed properly things like highway development, recreational resource use conflicts and visual quality management have the potential to degrade visitor experiences and perhaps jeopardize the marketability the region has earned over the last 20 years."

Pemberton is just starting to build its vision and infrastructure as a tourism-supported economy. The proposed logging will impact that in such a way that visitor experiences will be degraded, and that potential may be jeopardized. There are not enough advantages flowing to the community from the logging to justify the risk.

Visual Quality Impacts and the draft LRMP

The Land and Resource Management Plan for the Sea to Sky region addresses Visual Landscape Management, acknowledging that the region offers unique and significant visual resources. Visual quality objectives, formally approved by the Ministry of Forests District Manager, cover areas with the highest visual importance, being those areas surrounding major communities, such as the proposed cutblocks, which is mapped as a Known Scenic Area.

The LRMP process has been a nearly two year process of collaboration between various regional stakeholders, to develop the most comprehensive guide possible to assist with land use and resource extraction decisions. The timber industry is just one contributor to the provincial economy – it’s needs must be balanced by tourism, recreation and wild-land values.

The high visibility of this location require the utmost care in logging, and I suggest, would be more appropriately dealt with by electing not to log here. The LRMP draft states that "the visual resources of the plan area are significant and represent important quality of life values for residents and high value recreation and tourism experiences for visitors." I ask you not to negatively impact on the visual resources of our community.

Accessing the cut-blocks

The access required to the logging area either requires a road and bridge to be constructed, or a helicopter drop-zone and safety plan. As far as I am unaware, CRB/Weyerhaeuser has not provided a detailed Access Management Plan.

A trail system exists below the cut blocks which is used by residents and visitors to the community. The proposed logging and the ongoing recreational use of the trails are incompatible and impact on the safety and quality of experience of the recreational users. CRB/Weyerhaeuser has not addressed this, and as such, have not established that they can adequately manage and conserve the area.

Industry needs to work with the communities it operates in

It behooves industry leaders such as Weyerhaeuser and CRB to establish cooperative working relationships within the communities they operate in. Exercising this 1920’s era licence to take advantage of archaic stumpage rates, in defiance of the community’s outcry both now and in 2000, having already been compensated for not logging the area in 2000, smacks of extreme bad faith, and insults the entire community of Pemberton. I suggest it is not a decision that this community will take lying down.

The companies may exercise their licence and move on, leaving the community to deal with the ramifications of that logging. In this case, the ramifications are such that as stewards for this area, and as its inhabitants, we cannot support the proposal and urge you to focus your operations elsewhere.

Lisa Richardson

Pemberton

Promote sustainable vehicles

Is 12 mpg or 23.5L/per100kms sustainable? I was in the village the other day and came across the new Nissan display tent where they had the new Nissan Armada SUV on display. A impressive vehicle just by its sheer size. the largest Nissan I've ever seen.

The very informative sales lady could tell me everything I wanted to know, leather this, electric that, bells, whistles it had it all. Then I asked her what the fuel mileage was for this monster SUV. Well, I think from that point she knew the sale was lost (not that I interested in buying anyway).

She said in quiet voice ‘12mpg or 23.5L/per 100kms in the city’. She then informed me that a H2 Hummer only gets 9 mpg as if this is the best vehicle to compare to! I've driven motorhomes that get better mileage than this.

My point is, is this the type of vehicle we need to be promoting in Whistler village?

Dennis van Dongen

Whistler

The real Cat Woman

I was very pleased to learn that the new animal shelter will soon be under construction. I am looking forward to much more dignified accommodation in the future, if not for myself then for those that follow in my paw prints. Friendly wags and purrs of thanks on behalf of all WAG residents to those who helped make this happen.

Sambucca,

WAG’s Queen of the Cattery

An alternative to Pemberton logging

In regards to logging the mountainside 500 metres approximately from the Pemberton Village boundary;

Sir, you set a precedent in 1989 when you traded wood at Tenans Lake with CRB logging so they would not have to log around Meager Creek Hot Springs. We still thank you for the decision. But, Meager hot springs was 46 km out in the wilderness, and now Weyerhaueser wants to log 500 meters from the Pemberton Village. Please use the precedent you made in 1989. Give Weyerhaueser and CRB wood of equal value, money-wise in one of your small business areas, i.e., Halmar Creek, Spruce Creek, Tanquille Creek. These areas are run by you, and there are no big company charter areas, no land claims. Make the wood able to be logged conventionally; that should make the cost of logging cheaper than helicopter logging. I hope you shall consider my suggestion as a concerned citizen. Thank you.

Knute Larsen

Pemberton

Paved trails are sustainable

In response to Shannon Smith’s letter is last week’s Pique:

I share Shannon Smith’s concern about the environment, but I disagree with her position regarding the surfacing of trails on popular routes. Many recreational and utilitarian (e.g. commuter) cyclists prefer smooth asphalt over gravel and so do people using inline skates, skateboards, scooters, wheelchairs and prams. Especially for key links such as the south side of Alta Lake, the addition of more kilometres of clean, smooth surface to the existing valley trail network could potentially contribute to a decrease in car trips. More paved trails should be considered ecologically favourable and consistent with the principles of The Natural Step, to which our community subscribes.

Tom DeMarco

Whistler

Phil Chew Recognized

Whistler Blackcomb would like to recognize the extensive athletic achievements of Phil Chew and apologize to Phil for our oversight in recognizing him amongst the other recipients during the plaque launch in World Cup Square at Creekside last month.

Phil has played an instrumental role in the Paralympic movement, and his dedication and enthusiasm for the sport of alpine skiing has inspired athletes from around the world. To recognize his accomplishments, Phil’s plaque will be added to the other athlete plaques in World Cup Square immediately.

Once again Phil, we apologize for our error.

Dave Brownlie

Whistler-Blackcomb

I brake for bears

It has recently come to my attention that there have been some bears hit, or even run over (cubs) by mountain bikers. I enjoy biking, but this really concerns me and if this is indeed the case I think we as a community need to do something to ensure it does not happen anymore.

When I bike I do more cross-country as opposed to downhill and my skill level keeps my speed down, so I cannot really see that I would ever physically hit a bear while riding. In all the years I have ridden here I have never seen a bear while biking that wasn't far off in the distance.

If bears are being hit by others though, the mountain biking community and Intrawest, which promotes high-speed downhill biking on a mountain heavily populated by bears need to be more proactive in ensuring the sport and the animals can coexist. Or maybe we need to rethink mountain biking all together – I know that from now on as I am about to turn a corner on a trail or start to pick up speed I will be shout out to warn bears I am in the area.

We are in bear country and we all need to behave responsibly in order to protect the animals whose home we inhabit.

Sara Jennings

Whistler

Top dogs deliver for Zero Ceiling

A huge thanks to all those in the community who helped out with Zero Ceiling’s Fourth Annual BBQ, during Crankworx last weekend.

The event would not have been possible without the generous donation of supplies from Nesters, Creekside Market and IGA. Everyone went the extra mile:

Barry from Creekside Market personally making a mid-afternoon delivery to us, Tim at IGA stepped up at the last minute to provide extra pop and water and Nesters for topping us up with extra hot dog buns. Much-needed ice was freely provided by the Dubh Linn Gate, GLC and Tommy’s; The Longhorn for always doing their bit, supplying kitchen items, change, garbage disposal and humour; The Southside Diner is yet to open, but already stepping up to help out the community with donated napkins; Grocery Store for discounted pop; the Crankworx announcers; Zog’s for graciously sharing their space; Blacks for storing dogs in their freezer; The Husky for waving the rental charges on our gas tanks, and doing it with a smile; the Fire Department for trusting us with their BBQ; Brent & Craig for set-up, tear-down and transportation; Marcia, JS & Tristan for manning the BBQ, and entertaining our customers with hot dog rhymes and good-natured heckling. The BBQ was a huge success and we raised over $1,400, setting a record we’ll work hard to break again next year.

K-L Grant & S. J. A. Musgrave

Fundraising Coordinators

Zero Ceiling

Whistler

Thank You From Spring Creek Community School

Bright summer roses to the following fabulous businesses who made our year end party so much FUN!

Nesters Market, Fairmont Chateau(Porto Bello), McDonalds, IGA, Creekside Market, and Quattro - our tummies were very happy!

Thank you to Whistler Fire Department for the tent and water fun. Finally, thank you to all of our wonderful parent organizers and volunteers. Have a great and safe summer and we will see you on September 7, 2004.

Sandra Epplett and Melissa Friend

Spring Creek Community School

Whistler