An environmental angle:
Here's a copy of a letter I received from the Chilliwack Field Naturalists:
The Chilliwack Field Naturalists has found 7 rare species living in the Elk-Thurston woodlot licence area and consider the area ecologically significant and are asking for it to be protected. We thought BC Nature and Elk Mountain Trail Group would be interested in our letter sent to the many of the officials concerned.
Janne Perrin
President
Chilliwack Field Naturalists Club
www.chilliwackfieldnaturalists.com
This is a copy of the letter we have sent:
RE: Proposed Woodlot License Plan for Woodlot W0084 The Chilliwack Field Naturalists are very disappointed to learn of the proposal to log the woodlot by the Elk Thurston Trail. We believe that this area is ecologically significant and should not be logged. The last time the Chilliwack Field Naturalists were involved in commenting on the woodlots adjacent to the trail, logging within the woodlots was deferred due to the high recreational value of the Elk Thurston Trail, water rights and significant wildlife values in the woodlot.
The timber along the trail and the bench land areas along the Bench Road have reached a state where the timber is beginning to take on mature or old-growth features. It is important that this second growth timber remains intact as the ecosystem is has created provides high wildlife values for tailed frog, pacific giant salamanders, mountain beaver, tall bugbane, Trowbridge’s shrew, Pacific water shrew and red-legged frog within these areas. These seven species occur on our provincial Red and Blue-lists and federally as endangered, threatened and species of concern.
We believe that global warming and the recent windstorms that are predicted to intensify would create havoc for significant wildlife if this area were continually opened up through yearly patches of small clear cuts or partial harvesting practices and road systems. In addition, the removal of the maturing timber will alter vegetative growth, allowing for the introduction of exotic species into rare plant species habitat. Timber removal will fragment wildlife and plant microhabitats lowering the viability and colonization abilities of these species. Logging near the headwaters and along and over the small creeks will increase sediment loads during times of high precipitation, negatively impacting in stream users such as Pacific giant salamanders, tailed frogs and the Pacific water shrew, as well as disrupting dispersal of these species using these wet microhabitats.
Timber removal and equipment in the woodlot will also negatively impact species as it compacts soils, reducing shrew habitat and crushing the den systems of mountain beaver. Rare species may also be injured or killed as they disperse under and through forest litter.
In addition to these concerns, the permanent roads and bridges proposed for this woodlot will intrude into significant habitat. Any new forestry roads will invite illegal trail creation by off-road vehicles that cannot be controlled by forestry as trail building continues to be conducted on weekends and after hours. One such trail off the main road has already caused the loss of a mature rare tall bugbane plant.
The Chilliwack Field Naturalists recognize that this relatively small woodlot is ecologically significant within Canada and within our province, containing a high number of significant species. We would like to see any logging within these woodlots again deferred due to the high wildlife and recreational values of the area and would urge the Ministers to take the opportunity to protect numerous rare species in one step by declaring this woodlot area as ecologically significant.
Yours Truly
Janne Perrin
President
Chilliwack Field Naturalists
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