Topic
Internal leaks signal alarm over proposed assault on Chief Forester's independent authority.
Logger among Douglas firs. Who decides cut levels? Right now it's the powerful, independent Chief Forester.
Cariboo North MLA alarmed government may lift 'constraints' in Land Use Plan.
Pulled off the web after just a few hours, it puts forest 'reserves' on chopping block.
'Community forests' vie with big firms for BC's wood profits.
A leaked provincial cabinet document indicates that the provincial government is contemplating "suspending" the powers of one of its most powerful public servants in order to expedite a controversial logging program that has raised alarm bells in the professional forestry community.
The document leaked late Tuesday afternoon, is the second confidential report in as many days to find its way out of government through back channels -- a sign, perhaps, of the growing unease that some public servants in the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations have with some aspects of the "jobs" agenda of Pat Bell, minister of jobs, tourism and innovation.
Bell, MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie, and John Rustad, MLA in the nearby riding of Nechako Lakes, have been actively promoting a plan to ease or eliminate environmental constraints on logging activities so as to artificially extend logging rates in the interior of the province where several rural communities are heavily dependent on logging and milling jobs.
The driving force behind the move is that after 25 years of elevated logging rates in the central interior of the province in response to two outbreaks of mountain pine beetles that killed upwards of one billion mature lodgepole pine trees, the logging and milling industries are running out of trees to cut.
The growing scarcity of trees came sharply into focus in January when an explosion and ensuing fire at the Babine Forest Products sawmill in Burns Lake -- the town's largest employer -- destroyed the mill, killing two workers and displacing 250 more.
In the immediate aftermath of the mill burning down, word rapidly spread that the mill would likely not reopen given the generally depleted nature of forests throughout the region. But Bell and Rustad claim to have found enough trees to provide Hampton Affiliates Ltd. -- the owner of the aforementioned mill -- with enough wood fibre to reinvest in a new facility.
The trouble is that to get at the wood, the government would essentially have to override previous forest planning processes that set limits on what could be logged in order to protect remnant patches of old-growth forest, important wildlife corridors that make it possible for important species like woodland caribou and moose to survive, other forests with high biological diversity values, and forests with high visual values, for example forests within sight of communities or in important scenic corridors.
Such a plan, the leaked cabinet document makes clear, would likely place cabinet in a difficult position with the office of the chief forester, one of the most important posts in the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Operations.
'Extraordinary legislation' urged
"This action to enable a higher short-term supply would be a deviation from chief forester policy and practice in timber supply management," the cabinet submission dated April 7 reads. "There is some risk that the independent chief forester of the day may not agree with this action, or of a legal challenge if he/she does."
The same document then goes on to recommend that Cabinet consider introducing "extraordinary legislation" to artificially prop-up logging rates in the Lakes Timber Supply Area or TSA, thus providing the necessary "certainty" for Hampton to invest in a new Burns Lake mill.
"Under this option," the leaked memo reads, "government would enact legislation to enable a set of specific actions to add certainty to the supply of timber for a new Babine Forest Products mill over a 15 year period."
Such actions, the memo continues, would "suspend current Forest Act provisions for the chief forester to set the annual allowable cut and the Minister to make license apportionment decisions in the Lakes TSA." The legislation would then "vest these functions with the Lieutenant Governor in Council." In other words the decision would simply be a political decision, driven by the provincial cabinet.
Bruce Fraser, former chair of British Columbia's independent Forest Practices Board, expressed deep concern over the contents of the memo.
"The independent status of the chief forester is designed to ensure effective management of the forests," Fraser said. He said that were such legislation to be introduced it would mean that professional and technical expertise within the ministry was superseded by short-term political considerations. "Once that door is open, you can allocate pretty much anything" to be logged. It becomes "the burn the furniture stage."
Pine beetles, jobs and road miles
A big unanswered question arising from the leaked cabinet document is what the provincial government may yet be contemplating when it comes to the chief forester's powers in three other large timber supply areas where the pine beetle has also been active. Those TSAs include that in Bell's riding -- the Prince George TSA -- as well as the Quesnel and Williams Lake TSAs. Those three TSAs, along with the Lakes TSA, were all each subject to "mid-term timber supply" studies conducted by the chief forester and other ministry staff last year. The studies resulted from a directive issued by Pat Bell, who was then forests minister.
The results of that work were temporarily posted on a government website Tuesday morning and early afternoon before the government summarily removed them following questions about the document raised in the legislature by Independent MLA, Bob Simpson.
That document flagged that there was a serious problem brewing in all four TSAs due to years of elevated logging activities in response to the pine beetle outbreaks.
"Under current lumber market conditions," the document read, "it is uneconomical to harvest dead pine located at long haul distances from the mills. Licencees [logging companies] have indicated that the economic supply of dead pine varies from 1.5 years in Quesnel to about five years in the Prince George TSA."
The document went on to suggest that the depth of job losses and mill closures could be offset, somewhat, by relaxing virtually all constraints on logging forests that had been reserved from logging for environmental reasons.
But job losses would, nonetheless, occur and they would be formidable.
In the Lakes TSA, for example, relaxing the logging rules would mean that instead of local milling and logging jobs falling from 1,572 jobs in the days before the pine beetle outbreak to 434 jobs in the near future, the jobs would decline to 521 jobs instead -- a difference of 87.
In the Prince George TSA, relaxing the logging rules would "maintain" an additional 1,915 jobs. But overall, the decline in milling and logging jobs would still fall dramatically from 13,371 jobs in the pre-beetle-attack years to 8,763 jobs in the near future.
In the Quesnel area, relaxed logging rules were estimated to "maintain" 377 more forest industry jobs. But again, the overall trend was down from 3,321 jobs in the pre-epidemic period to 2,092 jobs in the near future.
And in the Williams Lake area, relaxing the logging rules allegedly maintained 1,144 jobs than would otherwise be the case. But once again, the trend was down from 4,626 pre-epidemic jobs to an estimated 2,955 jobs.
'Things that need to be discussed': Clark
In response to questions in the legislature by opposition leader Adrian Dix about the leaked cabinet memo yesterday, Premier Christy Clark said that the document had not gone before cabinet "in the form" that Dix and others had before them. "But it does discuss many of the things that are under discussion in the community -- things that need to be discussed, issues that we've talked about with the steelworkers, with the First Nation, with community leaders and with people from across the province," the premier said. "These are discussions that we have to have, and it's a much bigger issue than just in Burns Lake."
Clark also said that the government would be "consulting the public about these issues." Presumably, it is hoped, that will happen before a decision to "suspend" the chief forester's authority is made. ![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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Steve Hetherington
1 year ago
Clarks gotta go
Man oh man I could rant forever.I see no end whatsoever to this governments blatant corruption and dystopian acts on the good people and resources of this (once)great province.
We need to and MUST shut her and her ilk down and do it now.A province wide strike is the only tool we have to put an end to this eventual destruction of our province and our jobs.
Shut it down,call an election that will end her reign(sadly not her pension).We are well aware the next party will start to practice corporate corruption but if we remember we hold the power we can hold them to task the same way----lets take back our power while we can.Enough is enough and I fear it will soon be too late.
Forest_Lover
1 year ago
Liberals blamming the NDP for this mess.
One of Pat Bell's retorts to this fiasco is to blame the NDP for not stopping the pine beetle. This comment along with Clarks need to deflect Bob Simpsons questiosn yesterday by discussing those killed in the Burns Lake fire is a clear indication that the liberals have NO answers, they have No solutions and are afraid. In a decade the liberals have so mismanaged the forest portfolio that Americans are suing us over obvious subsidies on the coast, 4 reports indicate ramapant failures across all aspect of forest management yet to Lib's its the NDP's fault. Jimmy, its time to fire up the loggong truck, drive to Victoria and get rid of these spineless idiots.
Steve Hetherington
1 year ago
reply to forrest lover
I do agree with most of your statements but I feel we must remember that ending these no-brain liberals reign of rape and terror will not end our grief---It is a lib/ndp/con problem---all of these bastards are corrupt or /and corruptable.All our governments are untrustworthy---plain and simple.We need to stand together and demand the voice of the populace be heard and not that of the greedy 1%
I know we need to rid ourselves of Christy and her gangsters----but please don't think that will be the end of our troubles and the beginning of bliss------we need to take control.
Skywalker
1 year ago
Steve has a point.
It seems like this issue is being raised by Bob Simpson and I have yet to hear an NDP voice on the issue. O.K. I don't follow southern news media and I know that when the government is on the way out you should keep out of their way but, you would think that at strategic times some indication of alternatives would only hasten the BC Liberals departure and cement your support base.
Sometimes I shudder to think that some of the opposition MLA's currently holding critic jobs will be making key decisions.
How do we take control? It sure won't be through any party system. That is merely a temporary fix.
Steve Hetherington
1 year ago
sky
The only way I can think of taking control is to shut down the province for a day--2--3
I am not pro or anti union but I agree they should have rights to bargain and to invent laws to remove that right is wrong.If all government staff would just refuse to work for this government---stay home until an election is called.
We have so much power and yet we collectively refuse to use it----ie.Smart meters----do you think for one second if we as a province refused to pay our bills that these assholes would start to listen.They don't listen because we don't demnand they listen.
Simply put they are turning us to ruin because we allow it.
If we take the power that is already ours the next party,whoever that may be would do as we tell them to do.
We should in NO way fear the government--the government should fear and work for the voters----where on earth did that get lost and inverted.
WAKE UP and STAND UP
jimmmmy
1 year ago
General strike
A general strike is one possible way to force an election, but I fear it would be bloody. The leadership of todays union movement is spineless and like before when Gordo rolled back wages and tore up contracts . They worked very hard to diffuse the desire to strike province wide, by setting one union against another. I feel the same move is taking shape in Sinclairs office as we post. So any general strike would have to be spontanious and bypass the B.C.Fed,which has become little more than a personnel office for the libs.
rantnic
1 year ago
EXAMPLE!
When the Lieberals take control we see "legislation", that is the creation of "law" that will force the citizens to comply with whatever the Lieberals want. The "Clean Energy Act" for example forces B.C. Hydro it impose the smart meter on us. An act of legislation will simply remove the power from the chief forester and allow the political hacks to gut our resources.
Barryeng
1 year ago
I am wondering, just how big
I am wondering, just how big is the "Steal the office supplies on the way out the door"? We know that the Liberals are on their last legs, but just how much of BC will they NOT be able to take with them?
Steve Hetherington
1 year ago
Jeeeeze Jimmy
Good thoughts J but I did not mean a strike or any "organized" union action as they would of course legislate(invent a law)us back to work.
What I meant is an outright "f#*k-you" we are tired of it.How about it folks that we,yes,we legislate that this(and the next)government does as THEY are told.I don't know how to better make my point.This country(for now) is OURS not theirs and their corporate friends.Does anyone even remember what democracy is any more.
I am so damn tired of the lies---they lie to us every damn day without consequence.When their back is to the wall---guess what? another new law---freak'n enough already.
Fire the whole works and the next lot will be a little more attentive----and the next more so----and so on.We have to be the change---that simple.
Would love to hear from anyone with more ideas
virimpig
1 year ago
Christy's Farewell
So it seems Christy and her governing circus has increased its rate of rape and plunder of BC as they realize their coming demise! She is paying off all her family and party suporters by granting any and all free enterprisers and developers and mining and logging groups to have free reign of our province!
That'll teach us voters to dare question BCLib rule!
Waltz
1 year ago
Timber supply and the survival of BC communities
One wonders how many of the protected forest reserves have been lost to wildfire, insect attacks and even logging.
Of course with an unreliable, dated forest inventory over 15 years old for much of the province, the forests ministry wouldn't know the true status of forests reserves set aside for economic and ecological values such as biodiversity, wildlife corridors, fisheries habitat, soil, water, recreation and tourism.
This government lost its senses about management of all renewable resources from the outset stripping stewardship requirements from statutes and cutting budgets for forest management functions like silviculture, reforestation and inventory.
The writing has been on the wall for over a decade but many of the complacent B.C. mayors and councillors who vote for the government have chosen to ignore the repeated warnings . . . and now without economic strategies in place to deal with critical numbers of job losses are at risk of seriously undermining their communities. It is a crisis of policy neglect by BC politicians at all levels of government.
This crisis is way more serious than a "jobs strategy" until the next election and requires thorough engagement of communities in developing major economic diversification strategies with 5-and 10-year horizons for their survival.
frances
1 year ago
NDP seems to be a lost cause.
NDP seems to be a lost cause. It's hard to get them to take a stand on anything. After ten years of Liberal corruption and breach of trust, they only want to "move forward". Easier to lie low and watch the libs self destruct.
Quebec seems to have a good idea with the formation of a permanent anti corruption unit. I guess doing that here might upset the old boys club in Victoria.
Skywalker
1 year ago
Steve.
Sure we could fire them all but then we have to wait another four years if the replacements isn't listening. Look at Harper. There has to be a way of firing them quickly the first time they lie or screw up or sit on their asses and do nothing when there is a problem. It is all about buying a pig in a poke.
Umslopogaas
1 year ago
Start the revolution.
Hands off our forests! Hands off our Hydro! Hands off our Public Schools! Hands off our Hospitals! Hands off our wallets! Hands off our rivers! Hands off our salmon! Hands off our railways!
The system, as it is, is broken and we need to restore democracy to B.C. I agree, we cannot wait another year.
Umslopogaas
1 year ago
Start the revolution.
Hands off our forests! Hands off our Hydro! Hands off our Public Schools! Hands off our Hospitals! Hands off our wallets! Hands off our rivers! Hands off our salmon! Hands off our railways!
The system, as it is, is broken and we need to restore democracy to B.C. I agree, we cannot wait another year.
Steve Hetherington
1 year ago
Sky
Not true Sky.WE force an election---piss on waiting 4 years.All government staff walk out---force an election.The winner of the election will now be aware if they do not serve the better interest of this gem of the world province AND it's people---we just force another election.We must also pass laws that the party in power recieves no pensions if found corrupt or unserving.
I know it sounds somewhat of a huge undertaking ----but we MUST do something and do it now.What they are counting on is us bitching and whining amonst ourselves and it never goes further----as I said---it's our own damn fault-----bunch of lazy cry babies that does nothing concrete---sick of being one of them
Stewart MacKenzie
1 year ago
Still can't see the forest for the trees
Non timber forest resources, wildcraft, agroforestry, natural traditional foods and medicines.
Resources which can be harvested and nurtured through all stages of regeneration; ignored, damaged or destroyed by chemical heavy artificial "reforestation" as practiced in BC.
$10 invested today in planting chemically dependent, mass produced trees with a very questionable future, will need to return $500 in PROFIT (not gross revenue) at harvest time, in order to match a 4% return on the same $10 invested in long term monetary media (Bonds, savings, whatever)
Deforested lands, whether due to fire, bugs, or clearcutting, produce useful and/or marketable species from the very first year (mushrooms, fireweed.....).
Our forestry faculties ("Faculties of Boards") and conventional (pathetically limited)thinkers continue to ignore alternatives to timber harvesting, even as these become more wide spread and are proven viable. Here are some links with a bit of information to demonstrate there are some real alternatives to timber, which can provide economic opportunities while forests grow to a harvestable stage again.
Given the changing climate, we have no way to know what those forests will look like, any more than the proponents of massive "Reforestation" know how the plantations they promote will progress. We do know that many replanted areas are already failing to develop healthy trees, and that Monsanto and other companies selling fungicides, herbicides and fertilizers don't really care as long as they can reap massive profits by saturating the province with their products, polluting watersheds, damaging wildlife, and destroying many of the species which represent both economic opportunities and natural succession soil builders, shade required for healthy (as opposed to "Accelerated") growth of commercial timber species.
siskatraditions.org/
cle.royalroads.ca/files-cntr/Good%20Wildcrafting%20Practices.pdf
www.fpb.gov.bc.ca/SR41_Follow_Up_Integrating_NTFP_into_Fores...
http://www.goodhealthvitamins.ca/Prairie-Doctor-Brand-C1896.aspx
Stewart MacKenzie
1 year ago
Do the research!
Anyone who has used traditional First Nations knowledge of natural healing knows how effective many plants unrecognized by conventional allopathic medicine can be. There is an enormous potential world market for these products - if there was not, the pharmaceutical companies would not be yanking on Harper's chain to have them banned or removed from stores.
For far too long we have depended upon big industry to give us direction - our professional foresters are mostly ignorant of the uses of most of the plants in the forests as all they are concerned with are trees. this kind of narrow focus is unscientific as well as plain ignorant.
The knowledge is out there, you just need to do some Googling and some reading to learn about the alternatives and you will see the forest as a vast and varied cornucopia of foods and medicines - just as First Nations, and other traditionalists around the world always have.
Stewart MacKenzie
1 year ago
More links to forest alternatives
Apologies for any redundancy, I am copying these links from Google and realize some relate to the same institutions or organizations.
http://buybcwild.com/suppliers/region/cariboo-chilcotin?page=1
http://www.sierraclub.bc.ca/education/resources-tools/going-wild_wild-products_educators-guide_4-7
Here is a good quote from the following site:
cle.royalroads.ca/book/export/html/22
"The potential for non-timber forest products1 to both enhance rural livelihoods and contribute to the sustainable management of forest ecosystems is both real and necessary in many forest-based communities. Although estimates of the current value of the industry vary, it is clear that we have just ‘scratched the surface’ in terms of generating benefits through the development of these resources. While the awareness of, and interest in, the sector has increased significantly over the past two decades, many individuals and groups seeking reliable information on non-timber forest products have expressed frustration with the lack of accessible, practical information on the opportunities and challenges in developing these resources. This toolkit has been designed to help communities address the need for practical information on the opportunities for sustainably developing and managing non-timber forest products (or ‘NTFPs’)."
http://issuu.com/llooby/docs/buy_wild
http://foodsecurecanada.org/sites/foodsecurecanada.org/files/WGIFS%20Final%20Report%202%20March.%2008.pdf
Steve Hetherington
1 year ago
Stewarts knowledge
I have not thought along those lines and I find it very interesting.It seems to make a lot of sense----only problem being is if became viable,and I'm sure it could it just puts us back to the same old problem of government and their corporate buddies would exploit that instead of trees---over harvest and harvest as fast as possible---good idea---just a good idea for the elite.I feel if we could regain control of our resources and manage them responsibly this could be a great potential for our ---OUR economy.
Great ideas such as this one Stewart will only work if it can be managed with integrity and sustainability
Stewart MacKenzie
1 year ago
It goes without saying....
that sustainability requires responsibility of a kind we have not seen from our corporations and governments in the past.
Those who practice and promote a more holistic model of forest management are ahead of the curve, which could mean they will be looked to for leadership when developing alternatives on a broader basis.
Conventional, "timber only" mentalities have led us to the brink of disaster already; when managing for a wider range of values the common sense of doing so with some discretion comes more naturally, as it becomes obvious how complex the forest is. The simplistic attitudes that have led us to where we are don't stand up once these perceptions take hold. If the average British Columbian becomes more knowledgeable we will demand accountability for the overall health of all forest resources, rather than being sucked into thinking simply planting trees is the be all and end all. Many so called "progressive thinkers" have never understood the whole picture any better than the corporations, and been content to call for more of this phoney "reforestation" - including writers like Ben Parfitt, who haven't bothered to look deeper and rarely challenged the conventional stupidity. The same goes for many politicians, who as I have stated many times, refuse to see the forest for the trees.
Skywalker
1 year ago
Steve again.
I don't think you can expect the civil service to take that kind of responsibility especially as we the public have made a dumb choice to elect the "government". They are more likely to to keep their heads down low in the trenches. There has to be another way to "revolt" peacefully that sends the clowns packing when the don't do the job they are being paid to do. Maybe a tribunal to decide whether an elected politician actually deserves that gold plated pension after they leave. We could base it on economic and social performance with equal weight to both.
alive
1 year ago
About going on a general strike
Steve is correct, and the government employees unions know that a strike would cripple the government and likely cause an election.
What they also know is that the press will immediately put a government slant on it, and our stupid citizens will once again only look at the inconvenience they will suffer --- not appreciating that the strikers loose pay and also will face police and possibly military force.
It is easy to say: "Man the barricades!" if you could feel some solidarity from the people you try to help!
Steve Hetherington
1 year ago
Hi Sky
You state that"civil service" and "we the public" you must realize that we are one an d the same----that is what would make this "shutdown" work.We ALL now work for the government.Let's ALL work together for change.
Christy would love us to keep sparing each other.If "we" are really "we"---well then lets WE take back our province
Steve Hetherington
1 year ago
press
The press will put a government slant on it------again I want to f'n scream--who is the press? oh ya---they control the press-"BULLSHIT" Who the hell picks it off the newstands grabbing the morning java---us.Stop buying the damn things and see who has the power---it is us.\
If the press bullshits us (and they do daily) who is at fault? the B.S.er or the believer?
My point???? let us control----us.We are by far smarter than
them
jimmmmy
1 year ago
Steve
Develope a strategy read Saul Alinsky 13 Rules For Radicals, or if so inclined read Ed Abbeys Monkey Wrench Gang. Both are good start points for young politically aware people in the electronic age who want to change things. The success of these methods is limited ,but satisfying and can give one purpose.
alive
1 year ago
OH Steve...
Steve, Steve, Steve--- so you want to f'ng scream eh?
Instead please realize that we are stuck with about 85% idiots, and they set the trend!
Untill they begin to bleed and really suffer they will not take their eyes off the TV long enough to understand we all are being screwed.
As I said unless we can feel some solidarity from the 85%, any move is doomed --- yes man I mean that we are doomed by the Lotus-Eaters amongst us
jimmmmy
1 year ago
Alive
The trick is not caring what song the chorus [media and , hoopleheads]are singing. If you win they will sing your song. Change comes out of chaos, then the pretense of organization is applied by the intellectuals and the media, or as the Athenians called them "the chorus."