Fall 1996

Poll shows Valley residents support Silva Plan

"Slocan Valley residents overwhelmingly support and approve of the ideas underlying the Silva Forest Foundation Plan," concluded the Angus Reid Group who conducted a total of 400 random telephone interviews among permanent residents in the Slocan Valley and South Slocan.

The results of the poll, held between July 26th and August 12th and paid for by SVWA supporters, are considered accurate +1-4.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. This means if the same poll was conducted 20 times, Angus Reid would expect the results to be within 4.9%, 19 of those 20 times.

The Silva Forest Foundation is based in the Slocan Valley and is an offshoot of Silva Ecosystem Consultants, a forestry consulting company run by Herb and Susan Hammond. Silva recently completed its ecosystem-based plan for the Slocan Valley which it began during the Slocan Valley CORE pilot project with the support of several sectors who sat at the table. (For details about the plan see Ecosystem-Based Plan located elsewhere in this issue)

The Angus Reid poll concluded that at least 7 in 10 valley residents either moderately or strongly agree with all nine of the statements representing the ideas behind Silva's ecosystem-based approach to land-use planning.

There is almost universal agreement (over 90%) with the statements concerning protecting and restoring the environment, (See below)as well as with the views promoting the diversification of the local economy according to the Angus Reid Survey.

Why do people support the concepts behind the Silva plan so strongly? It appears to be because the plan addresses the issues that are most important to them.

When asked to name the issue that is of greatest concern as a resident of the Slocan Valley, people listed forestry (46% total mentions), water quality (30%), environment or pollution (22%), and jobs/unemployment (18%) as the top four.

When asked to identify the most important environmental issue they were facing. 35% named watershed protection, 23% named clearcut logging, and 22% named forestry in general. These issues appear to be foremost in people's minds, the poll indicates, because they are not being dealt with effectively. 60% of residents believe that not enough is being done to protect the quality of the environment in the Slocan Valley. (See graph on right)

The more residents learn about the Silva approach to planning, the more they tend to support it, the poll shows. Three-quarters of the people surveyed say they would be more likely to strongly or moderately support the Silva plan after hearing some of the plan's ideas. Only 11 percent said they would be more likely to oppose it after hearing this information.

To find out more about Silva's ecosystem-based approach to land-use planning, talk to your local watershed committee representatives.

All logging plans should he sensitive to maintaining high 
quality water and protecting watersheds 97%

Responsible forest use means that all human uses must first 
respect ecological limits 93%

Forest restoration needs to be done to correct damage cause 
by logging practices 92%

A diverse local economy is desirable 91%

A strong economy and a stable community depends on a healthy 
ecosystem 91%

Adding value to wood products before they leave the valley 
means that we can cut less timber and employ the same number 
of people 81%

The Slocan Valley economy is diversifying and many new 
businesses rely on maintaining the high quality of the 
environment 79%

The forests of the Slocan Valley should be planned and 
managed by the local community 79%

Current rates of logging cannot be sustained and, If 
continued, will soon result in wood shortages and fewer 
people employed in the timber industry 73%

Level of Protection for the Quality of the Environment in the Slocan Valley (% Total Mentions)

"Do you believe that enough or not enough is currently being done to protect the quality of the environment in the Slocan Valley?"

Enough 27%

Not enough 35%

More Than enough 7%

Don't know 5%

Not nearly enough 25%

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Ministry agreement aimed at getting the cut out.

The race to log Slocan Valley watersheds is picking up speed as staff from the ministries of Forests and Environment work on an agreement that appears aimed at ensuring as few restrictions as possible on logging.

Staff from both ministries are currently working on a Memorandum of Understanding that will provide management direction for logging and road building plans in the Kootenays for the period 1997-2001.

An SVWA representative has attended Information meetings about the agreement, which is intended to start implementation of the Forest Practices Code and the West Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan (WKBLUP).

If the current draft of the memorandum is an Indication of "government direction", it Is clear the ministries are being directed to minimise and delay virtually all aspects of the Forest Practices Code and land-use plan that would in any way reduce the Allowable Annual Cut (AAC).

The AAC for the Arrow Timber Supply Area, which includes the Slocan Valley, was kept at Its old level following the 1994 Timber Supply Review, although this amount of wood has never been cut.

The Timber Supply Review acknowledged the AAC would likely be reduced as the Forest Practices code and WKBLUP were Implemented, but in the two years since CORE, implementation has taken a back seat. Ministry personnel have seemed too busy processing logging and road building permits to complete and implement the land-use plan or the Forest Practices Code. The agreement the ministries are currently working on is a move toward implementation, but it clearly seems aimed at minimising the impact on the AAC at the expense of other forest values like water and biodiversity.

There was much controversy and disappointment that the AAC was not drastically reduced as a result of the 1994 Timber Supply Review. Experience has shown that the procedures used to determine the AAC are outmoded and unreliable and result in artificially high, unsustainable expectations of how much wood can be logged from area forests.

The Arrow Timber Supply Area is one of two major sources of wood for Slocan Forest -Products. The other is the company's tree farm license in the Little Slocan watershed.

In 1992, the AAC for SFP's Little Slocan tree farm had to be reduced by over 40% when it became clear that the company had been taking out nearly twice as much wood as could be expected to come from the area on a long-term basis.

Despite the experience with SFP's tree farm, the ministry did not reduce the AAC for the Arrow Timber Supply Area. The reduction in wood available from SFP's tree farm is a big reason why the pressure is high to maximise logging in the rest of the Slocan Valley, even in contentious areas where other forest values are important. The controversy over logging New Denver Flats is a good illustration of this.

This approach puts the cart before the horse - the AAC is announced by high-ranking ministry officials and the local staff then must do whatever it takes to "get the cut out". The SVWA Is committed to pursuing an ecosystem-based approach to forest planning which looks first at what must be left behind and protected In order to maintain healthy forests in the long term. After this protected landscape network is established, a sustainable AAC is determined on a watershed-by-watershed basis. The Silva Forest Foundation's plan for the Slocan Valley is an example of this approach. Read more about it elsewhere in this newsletter.

The agreement currently being worked on by the two ministries appears to be aimed at getting around any restrictions that might reduce the cut in the valley.

Lowlights of the draft agreement include the following:

The "spirit and intent" of the Community Watershed Guidebook will be implemented only within "Community Watersheds" defined under the Forest Practices Code. Only a few watersheds in the Slocan Valley have this designation.
All other valley watersheds are to be managed under the "spirit and intent" of Domestic Watershed guidelines which have not been completed. In the meanwhile, water licensees will only be invited to "discuss the issue" of logging in their watersheds if the logging company determines that its logging plan will result in an Equivalent Clearcut Area (ECA) of 15% or more of their watershed.
Areas designated under the KBLUP for high emphasis biodiversity management will be reduced to moderate emphasis if the ministries of Forests and Environment cannot agree that the high emphasis designation should easy way to downgrade management for biodiversity. Biodiversity management provides for the long term survival and maintenance of animal populations, old remain. By disagreeing, the ministry of Forests has an growth forests, and other plant communities. Much of the Slocan Valley was designated for high emphasis biodiversity.
Green-up between patches can be reduced from 3 metres to 2 metres for "areas experiencing difficulty finding wood". Green up refers to the height that new trees must reach in a clearcut before another patch can be clearcut right next to it.
Forest ecosystem networks (FENs), which connect old-growth management areas, wildlife habitat areas and riparian (streamside) areas, will only be required where high emphasis biodiversity has been designated. See item above to see why there will likely be few of these. Moreover, although 10% of the "productive forest landbase" may be used for FENs, clearcutting will be allowed in these areas.
If existing FENs "are causing significant short-term timber supply impacts on a licensee", they may be logged. Again clearcutting is allowed although other options are "encouraged". Clearly. short-term timber supply takes precedence over long term protection of other forest and wildlife values.
Despite all of this relaxation of protection for forest values besides timber, not even these weakened provisions will apply to existing permits or "planned cutblocks and roads that have incurred substantial investment". This supports the SVWA's suspicion that one of the reasons SFP has submitted so many logging plans for valley watersheds this year is so that these plans can be "grandfathered" out of restrictions that may be coming online later.
Although the Forest Practices Code and the KBLUP call for Increased ministry of Environment participation in forest planning, this will only occur in the community Watershed portion of forest development plans. As noted above, this will be a very small area.
If any disputes arise around the implementation of these procedures, they are to be resolved by the Ministry of Forests District Manager. Period.

Add all these items together, and you have an approach to forest planning that seems clearly aimed at minimising anything that might interfere with "getting the cut out".

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An Ecosystem-Based Plan For the Slocan Valley-- A Realistic Balanced Solution To Forest Use Conflicts

by Susan and Herb Hammond

What is the ecosystem-based plan?

A landscape or large area analysis of the ecosystems of the Slocan River watershed. In order to make plans that protect ecosystems, and the human cultures and economies that depend on ecosystems, scientists recognise that forest plans must start at the landscape level.
An ecologically responsible plan that provides for the needs of human culture and economies by protecting forest ecosystems during and following all human uses.
A balanced plan that provides for fair an protected landbases for all forest users.
A starting point that requires further refinement, including field Verification of ecosystem characteristics and responsible, informed community control of critical decisions.
A complex plan which was many years in the making.

Mapping and planning from an ecosystem-based perspective:

The Silva Forest Foundation's ecosystem-based planning and is grounded in the sciences of landscape ecology, conservation biology, and ecological economics. All human activities must respect ecological limits and give first priority to the protection of ecosystem functioning. Examples of ecological limits Include very steep slopes, shallow soils, very wet or very dry areas. Ecologically sensitive areas are not available for most human activities because the risk of long-term or permanent degradation is too high.

In order to maintain biological diversity, connections between different types of forests and ecologically sensitive areas need to be protected and, where necessary, restored. W( mapped a protected landscape network that includes areas adjacent to streams and lakes, old growth forests, representative forest types, ecologically sensitive areas, old growth recruitment areas, and land corridors needed for animal and plant movement.

Incorporating the needs of the community:

Ecosystem-based planning is about accommodating human needs, not about winners and losers. All interests represented through the Slocan Valley pi1ot project under CORE were invited to map their areas of interest and to provide information about their group's needs. The maps and reports incorporate information from tourism, wilderness, watershed, outdoor recreation, the Sinixt, and wildcrafting. Other interest groups either did not have information to contribute or chose not to participate.

Is the Slocan Valley ecosystem based plan realistic?

Yes, the protection of ecosystems, the diversification of the economy, and responsible local control of forests are all necessary realities to meet today's needs while maintaining healthy ecosystems and options for future generations. The plan provides for a fair and protected landbase all ecologically responsible forest users. Unlike industry and government timber plans, the 5FF plan is a forest plan that is inclusive of all interests.

What the Silva Forest Foundation's Ecosystem-Based Plan for the Slocan Valley Says...

What about the future of timber jobs?

The ecosystem-based plan supports logging and milling Jobs that are ecologically sustainable and contribute to the stability of the local economy and community. If more people are employed per unit of wood cut and more value is added to wood products, nearly the. same number of people can be employed In the timber industry even using the cautious, initial cutting rate recommended in the SFF plan. In conjunction with forest restoration activities, a reduced cut does not need to mean a loss of jobs, but some people may change the kind of work they do within the timber industry.
The kind of logging proposed in the ecosystem-based plan employs more people per unit of wood cut and dollar spent because it uses smaller machines and more labour-intensive methods compared to conventional timber management.
Conventional clearcutting requires 1.8 to 6.7 times more timber and 3.4 to 8.5 times more dollars In order to produce one job than for ecologically responsible partial cutting.
Automation of logging and milling operations has resulted in a reduction of the number of jobs at Slocan Forest Products from 425 in 1981 to 316 in 1993, yet the company processes more timber today than in the 80s.
The ecosystem-based plan recommends increasing the number of value added jobs and suggests some ways this could be done. The Slocan Valley currently exports raw lumber and adds very little value to products before they leave the community. A provincial government committee e headed by MIA Corky Evans found that adding value to wood products means an average of 4.5 additional jobs per 1000 m3 of wood cut. This means that the amount of wood cut could be reduced by about 70% and still employ the same number of people.
Past timber management practices have resulted in many degraded forests. Forest restoration will provide jobs well into the future.

What is the state of the Slocan Valley Ecosystem?

The steep, mountainous terrain of the Slocan Valley means that there are ecological limits to many human activities.
Old growth forests remaining after human-caused fires and logging occupy far less area than under natural conditions before human settlement and resource exploitation. Well distributed old growth forests are vital to forest health and produce the highest quality water.
Human settlement patterns, mining and logging continue to degrade ecosystem functioning throughout the Slocan River watershed. Because it occurs throughout the landscape, logging continues to have the largest impact.

Why do ecosystems need to be protected?

Ecosystems are the basis for human culture and human economies. If you degrade ecosystems, you degrade the natural capital that Is the foundation for human cultures and economies.
Leading economists around the world remind us that the only sustainable economies are those based upon ecosystem protection. No economy based on resource extraction has proven to be sustainable.
There Is an emerging economy in the Slocan Valley, Including home-based businesses, wildcrafting, retail businesses, recreation, and tourism that depends on maintaining a high quality natural environment.
Within the main Slocan Valley, residents rely on surface water for domestic and agricultural use. Many of these water supplies are located in ecologically sensitive areas where cutting trees will damage water. The ecosystem-based plan Identifies areas within domestic watersheds that may be appropriate for ecologically responsible logging.

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How much timber can be cut?

Considering protection of forest functioning as the first priority requires reducing the short-term cutting rate significantly, perhaps by as much as 85% over estimated current cutting rates for the Slocan Valley. This cut reduction represents the most cautious scenario and is recommended due to the large amount of young forest throughout the watershed, to clearcutting, and to the rapid, non-sustainable rate of cut over the past 40 to 50 years. Once clearcuts have been restored, the recommended cut nearly doubles. SFF is prepared to work with government, industry, and the community to refine the recommended cutting level.
Timber cuts need to be determined for each small watershed in the Slocan Valley to avoid too much timber being removed too fast from any one area.
While warning that existing timber cutting rates exceed ecological limits and have been for some time, the plan recommends that we use a phased-in approach to reducing the cut to an ecologically responsible level.
Some politicians and foresters readily admit that cutting rates in the Slocan Valley should be reduced by 50%, and Slocan Forest Products has already reduced their cut in Tree Farm License #3 by almost 50%. SFF's timber cutting rate reductions are in line with this thinking.
The amount of timber that can be cut, while protecting the ecosystem and the economy, is influenced by the following factors:
1. Much of the high quality. easily accessible timber on stable terrain in the Slocan Valley has been logged. Remaining timber is found primarily In ecologically sensitive areas or in places where timber cutting conflicts with other forest uses such as water, tourism, recreation, visuals, or wildcrafting.
2. Protecting the remaining old growth forests Is required in order to maintain a healthy environment in the Slocan Valley. Most old growth is located on ecologically sensitive terrain. Some young forests need to be left unlogged so that they can attain old growth characteristics.
3. The ecosystem-based plan identifies areas where ecologically responsible logging can take place. Logging needs to be planned and carried out so that ecological limits and other human uses are respected. This means smaller roads and partial cutting systems (no clearcuts).

What about the economy?

While mining and timber traditionally formed the backbone of the Slocan Valley economy, today's local economy is much more diversified. Mining provides few direct local jobs, and the timber company employs fewer people today than it did in the 1980s.
The Slocan Valley is a forested area and, if planned carefully, timber cutting and wood processing can always be an Important part of the local economy. However, the timber industry must protect non-timber economic uses of the forest, and other human uses of the forest. This is not achieved with current industry and government plans.
The increasingly diverse Slocan Valley economy includes tourism, home-based businesses, retail businesses, wildcrafting, value-added wood products, retirement, small manufacturing, organic farming, professional services, and the arts. Like the timber Industry, these businesses provide tax dollars to the province. Many of these businesses depend on a high quality natural environment, or have chosen to locate In the Slocan Valley because of the high quality natural environment.

Why isn't the Forest Practices Code good enough?

The Forest Practices Code provides a beginning, but many of its provisions are discretionary and timber extraction is the primary focus. About 20 years ago the western states in the U.S. passed forest practices acts that required integrated management like the Forest Practices Code, and specified Umber management standards similar to those In the BC Code. Two decades later, these states face the loss of biodiversity, loss of many timber jobs. and community restructuring. Today, these states are attempting to incorporate ecosystem planning similar to that carried out by the Silva Forest Foundation. If we want to avoid problems similar to those just south of the Canadian border, we need to begin ecosystem-based planning throughout British Columbia now.

Where do we go from here?

Slocan Valley residents have a choice:
maintain the non-sustainable current timber cutting rates and lose the emerging diverse economy -or- reduce timber cutting rates to an ecologically responsible level and continue to develop a diverse economy. The Silva Forest Foundation's ecosystem-based plan provides a set of information for the Slocan Valley community. It is only a beginning. All interests in the community now need to come together to decide how we can balance human uses in the Slocan Valley in more ecologically responsible ways and to decide how people fit into the landscape of the Slocan Valley. We envision fair, balanced dialogue that unites rather than divides the community.

Transition:
How do we get there?

The transition to an economy based on respecting ecological limits will take time, will require hard work, and will mean change for the whole community. Transition will need to include:

Determining an ecologically responsible timber cut.
A phase-In period for an ecologically responsible timber cut. This is necessary in order to retrain workers for new jobs1 purchase smaller logging equipment or remodel existing equipment, develop value added wood products manufacturing, and allow existing -timber interests to plan for change.
Education, training and retraining for workers displaced from their current jobs. Workers could be trained in designing ecologically responsible timber cutting, small cable and aerial yarding techniques, small skidding machines and horse logging, directional felling, marking trees for partial cutting, ecologically responsible road design and construction, forest restoration methods, and various kinds of value added wood products manufacturing.
Government requirements that license holders add more value to wood products before those products leave the region.
A loan fund for remodelling or purchasing logging equipment for ecologically responsible timber extraction.
Financing and technical support for new and changing businesses in order to encourage successful community-based economic development.
Buying locally manufactured products -circulating money within the community.
Encouraging increased economic diversity.
Establishing local control of resources and economic planning through a Community Forest Board with decision making authority.

Is this kind of planning being done anywhere else?

The Slocan Valley project is the first of its kind. The Silva Forest Foundation has completed ecosystem-based maps and a report for the community of Cortes Island. We are currently part way through a- project in the Robson Valley east of Prince George. ~ draft ecosystem-based plan was also prepared for the Coldstream drainage within the Vernon Forest District's Small Business Enterprise Program. Interest in ecosystem based planning has been expressed by the communities of Denman Island, Harrop-Procter, Haida Gwaii, and the upper Skagit Valley In north-western Washington state. SFF is assisting communities in central Siberia and the Russian Far East to develop ecosystem-based plans. SFF has presented its methodology and findings at international conferences in Costa Rica, Vancouver, and Saskatoon.

To find out more: Copies of the plan are available in the Nakusp and Selkirk College libraries, in the village of Slocan reading room, in the offices of the villages of New Denver and Silverton, or through the Silva Forest Foundation. Portions of the report are posted on SFF's homepage http://www.silvafor.org. Call SFF if you would like to purchase a copy of the full or summary report. The full report is two volumes and approximately 600 pages. Maps can be viewed by appointment at the Silva Forest Foundation offices. Technical staff of the Silva Forest Foundation is available to answer your questions. Comments and constructive criticism are welcome.

REMEMBER TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 16
Regional District and municipal governments are important to the well being of our community. Ask candidates what they will do to protect water, provide for a healthy economy that includes all sectors, ensure jobs and protect the environment.
***VOTE WISELY***

New Denver Logging

"Betrayal of our Trust"

Is issuing cutting permits the government's response to the community's initiative to use consultation as an alternative to confrontation and conflict in the Slocan Valley? It sure feels that way.

While the SVWA was awaiting a response from government to their Proposal for Negotiated Settlement of Slocan Valley Forest Use Conflicts, the government announced that road and cutting permits had been issued for New Denver Flats. The Alliance had entered into a consultation process with government, starting with a meeting in September with local MIA Corky Evans. Further to that meeting, Corky's office advised the SVWA to pursue the process with the Forest Minister, David Zlrnhelt. Discussions ensued between David Zirnhelt and Herb Hammond of the Silva Forest Foundation and co-chair of the SVWA. On October 11, the SVWA forwarded to Premier Clark, Mr. Zirnhelt and Corky Evans a proposal for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in the Slocan Valley. This proposal was based on a technical review of the Silva Plan as well as on industry and government plans. It was to have included a scientific panel to resolve disputes and a key part of the proposal was that no cutting or road permits were to be approved in the valley while negotiations were taking place. Other groups, such as the Valhalla Wilderness Society, the Sinixt aboriginal people, and the Village of Silverton had either supported the proposal or had forwarded their own proposals to the government - all wanting a peaceful resolution to this conflict. The community was consulting in good faith and we trusted the government was as well. The SVWA feels that our trust has been betrayed!

The New Denver Flats watershed contains several important water sources. Bartlett Creek is an integral part of Silverton's water system and according to Mayor Carlson is accessed at least 4 to 6 times a year by the town. It is also a recognised community Watershed under the Forest Practices Code. Mountain Chief Creek enters into Carpenter Creek and is a potential back-up for the village of New Denver. Harris and Bosun creeks provide water for the Harris Ranch which received the designation of Heritage Farm earlier this year. An expert hydrologist has stated the minimum impact of the proposed logging will be increased silt in all the domestic water systems and could impact the Carpenter Creek Fishery. He goes on to say he expects much more than the minimum impact. There is a risk of major landslides into Carpenter Creek over the next 10 to 20 years if this logging goes ahead. All the people relying on these sources for their water will live with the threat of degradation of their water supply.

New Denver Flats is only the beginning. The government plans to log in all our watersheds. If they won't listen to us now, when will they? Phone Corky and Zirnhelt and tell them how you feel.