There may be hope for Powell River’s green heart yet.
More than a 140 concerned citizens attended an open house on Wednesday, October 28 on Island Timberlands’ harvest plans for the timber the company owns on PRSC Limited Partnership lands in Townsite and adjacent to Brooks Secondary School.
Jenny Garden, who has been involved in the fight to save the trees in Powell River’s urban forest earlier this year, told the audience that she and a few others have established an environmental foundation that would work to purchase a portion of the trees from Island Timberlands and the land from PRSC.
Both parties tentatively agreed to meet with Garden.
“It all comes down to money,” said Garden a Powell River resident who along with five others recently created the Green Heart Environmental Protection Foundation.
She explained that the foundation will engage in community fundraising and approach both the provincial and federal governments as well as look elsewhere for funding to support the endeavour.
The trees to Island Timberlands are worth a few million dollars, but are invaluable to this town, said Jason Down, who is also foundation board member.
“They are going to take the aesthetics right out of the centre of our town and it will cost Powell River in tourism,” he said.
Down, who has spent his career in the woods as a danger-tree assessor and faller, added that the group is not against logging or industry, and that outside the areas the foundation wants to protect, there is still plenty of space for development.
The foundation is looking to purchase about 25 to 30 hectares (between 60 to 70 acres), which includes the area between Haul Road and the old golf course, and the parcel of Catalyst Paper Corporation land across the road from Henderson Elementary.
“This has less to do with stopping logging than stopping vandalism,” he added. “Just because they are allowed to destroy all that legally doesn’t mean it’s a good idea or ethical.”
Foundation representatives have requested a meeting with the Vancouver Island-based forestry company to establish a no-cut plan and a potential purchase price, but no date has been set.
The open house was one of the requirements that Island Timberlands must follow if it is to cut the trees on the PRSC land.
PRSC inherited a timber reservation agreement with Island Timberlands when it gained ownership of the properties in 2006. The land deal for more than 800 acres cost PRSC $4.5 million.
At the open house people crowded around tables with maps and company representatives were on hand to answer questions.
“We had a lot of comments from people who said they understand what’s going on but they are still a little concerned,” said Christopher Dawes, director of real estate for Island Timberlands. “There’s always people who distrust and don’t want any change. I can understand that, so what we try to do with these meetings is put forward how we are going to manage and how it’s going to be good or better,” he added.
Independent biologist Andrew Bryant said that he found the maps helpful.
“Their plan is very clear,” said Bryant. “They want to take it all with modest buffer zones around riparian areas. Every merchantable tree is slated for harvest.”
The company is required to submit a final plan to PRSC before any trees can be harvested.
Tla’amin (Sliammon) First Nation chief councillor Clint Williams and PRSC president said that they had not yet received a final draft of the plan to sign off on yet, but Island Timberland has said that it is near completion.
“PRSC made the investment to buy and sell the lands to make a little money and help stimulate economic growth in the community,” said Williams. “If some of the trees are still standing and we get our money back life will be good.”
Island Timberlands did not provide any timelines on when it plans on harvesting the wood.
Video by Mel Edgar
