Editor, The Times
There is growing community concern over plans by Canfor to initiate industrial-scale logging in the Upper Clearwater Valley – the gateway to Wells Gray Park.
We, the Upper Clearwater Referral Group, are writing in response to a letter by Peter Baird, general manager of forest planning for the Canfor Forest Management Group, which appeared in The Times on 17 July 2014.
Mr. Baird wrote to assure our community that Canfor is “... working through the Upper Clearwater Referral Group to design our harvesting activities in a way that is respectful of the Guiding Principles ...”
While we agree that this would be a good idea, we as yet have seen little evidence of such engagement. Nor indeed is it the purpose of the Upper Clearwater Referral Group to negotiate on behalf of local residents. Our function is rather to gather and disseminate information. If Mr. Baird wishes to engage area residents, he should do so through the Wells Gray Action Committee, expressly set up for that purpose.
Both in 2012 and now in 2014, Canfor has made it clear that its current proposal to log Upper Clearwater is only a first pass. Canfor will return again and again until all legally available timber in the valley has been cut. This directly contravenes the ‘Guiding Principles Document’ alluded to by Mr. Baird, and initiated and signed off by the Ministry of Forests. This document recognizes the other values that are important in the area – something Canfor has yet to do.
Mr. Baird also states that the letters Canfor has received to date “don’t provide us with the level of information we need to make progress.” To the best of our knowledge, Canfor and the Ministry of Forests have received many letters written in considerable detail – some by highly qualified land use professionals. On the other hand, we are not aware that Canfor has answered any of these letters.
The Upper Clearwater Referral Group would like the community to be aware that, despite our best efforts, the preliminary logging plan Canfor has put forward does not reflect resident input nor does it address concerns for the long-term well-being of our local economy.
Upper Clearwater
Referral Group