Black tail deer in logging slash (Photo 94981762 © Stefania Eymundson | Dreamstime.com)

By Kevin Rothwell

Competing interests

Water protection and wood for small producers sought

Apr 24, 2021 | 8:30 AM

A call for input into the Okanagan timber supply review has brought up a number of issues that North Okanagan politicians want attention on from the provincial government.

A review of the timber supply area must be conducted at least every ten years and input sought from stakeholders in setting the new annual allowable cut (AAC).

The objectives of this review are;

To examine relevant forest management practices, environmental and social factors.
Gather input from First Nations, forest licensees and the public.
Set the AAC and identify areas to be improved for future timber supply reviews.

Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) has approved a response following a staff review of the discussion paper related to the Okanagan-Shuswap resource district.

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The key points the RDNO has requested the Province to consider in their AAC review are:

The consideration and protection of water and infrastructure from increased flooding and landslides related to logging;
A lack of transparency from forest licensees
Cumulative impacts of roads and cut blocks with respect to watershed hydrology and ecosystem connectivity
Climate change and wildfire risk reduction
A possible review and update to the Okanagan Shuswap Land Resource Management Plan
Small mills and value added companies be given additional access to fiber

Spallumcheen Mayor Christine Fraser expressed concern about balancing the economic and environmental demands on the regions forests.

“We have a lot of mills and a lot of value added wood fiber companies, who if the Okanagan timber supply is reduced by a substantial amount, it will have a huge impact,” Fraser said. “The township has put in comment, for the need to have some of the smaller players to get fiber.”

Sharing the timber resource more equitably was also brought up by other directors.

“A lot of the small mills I have in my area cannot get the wood, where as the large producers they haul the wood right past our mills, to Golden sometimes, and that would could actually be used in my area,” Electoral Are ‘E’ (Rural Cherryville) Director Hank Cameron said.

A reduction in timber supply and increased management doesn’t necessarily mean a reduction in jobs, according to Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming. He notes the Revelstoke Natural Resource District saw a decline in the AAC, but that actually resulted in an increase in employment and value of the products produced.

“In other regions, as that management has tightened, the value per cubic metre has gone up. It seems counter intuitive, but what happens is the increase in management forces those who are cutting the timber to be more careful what they are doing with it, because they have to gain more value,” Cumming stated.

by Kevin Rothwell

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