A meeting has been scheduled for Feb. 13 in Egmont for residents to speak directly with BC Timber Sales and Tsain-Ko representatives about concerns over logging in the area.
“BCTS is seeking comments and would like to discuss our values and concerns regarding the planned cutblocks so they can relate our comments to their operations so they are better abled to discuss mitigation strategies that might be employed to the values that we identify,” said a newsletter circulated by the Egmont Community Club.
The 2020-24 BCTS operating plan will be discussed, specifically, licences TA0333, TA0334, and TA0335, with BCTS seeking feedback on the outlined cutblocks, road locations and handling sites.
Area A Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) director Leonard Lee commended the meeting at the Jan. 30 board meeting. “I think that’s a very definite step forward,” he said.
Lee had raised issues with the harvest plans last June, which includes about two-dozen cutblocks in the Egmont area. At that time he said BCTS had “abandoned” a communication protocol “in the rush to harvest.”
The community club said “many objections have been raised” about the proposal. “It would be hard to ignore the cumulative impact to the Egmont area by logging 24 blocks affecting 168 hectares over the four-year period in this relatively small area.”
Objections to the logging include impacts to the Skookumchuck Trail – a large tourist draw for the area – as well as impacts on North Lake water quality and other local water sources. Road safety was another concern raised, among others.
The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Egmont Community Hall.
