Complete municipal forest survey to resume logging
The private lands that make up the Municipal Forest Reserve were initially logged in the early part of the last century.
The municipality acquired these lands for the non payment of municipal taxes through the very difficult depression years of the late 1920s and the 1930s. Until the 1960s the lands basically sat vacant growing trees. In the 1960s the lands were put under a regime of sustained yield forest management and timber harvesting.
In the early 1980s a forestry advisory committee, made up of professional foresters and lay people, was established to guide the management of these forest lands. The result is our Municipal Forest Reserve is amongst the best managed if not the best managed of all small private forest land holdings in the province. It provides jobs and economic benefits for local people and businesses not to mention recreational opportunities for hikers and trail bikers. Revenues from log sales from the Municipal Forest Reserve help the community develop recreational facilities.
Unfortunately there is now a very active group (“Where do we stand” is their name) opposed to timber harvesting on the Municipal Forest Reserve and is pushing council to permanently shut down logging on the Forest Reserve lands. The “Where do we stand” group and supporters are very actively campaigning against timber harvesting.
If you support continuing the sustained yield management of the municipal forest lands and the sustained long term harvesting of timber, much as it has be in the past, please go to the Connect@northcowichan.ca site and complete the survey.
The survey provides all residents of the North Cowichan municipality with the opportunity to share their views regarding continuing sustained yield forest management and timber harvesting on the Municipal Forest Reserve or to, alternatively, permanently shut down logging in favour of only ecological and social considerations.
Please take the time to go to Connect@northcomwichan.ca and complete the survey. This survey will play an important role in guiding our municipal council in their deliberations and decision regarding continuing logging in the Municipal Forest. Please note this survey must be completed before Dec. 31.
Robert Beard
North Cowichan