The Cheakamus Community Forest (CCF) added three new harvesting projects to its list for the remainder of the year into 2023.
The moratorium on old-growth logging (trees older than 250 years), however, will remain in place for the time being.
“The community forest has deferred old-growth harvesting for 2021 and 2022,” said Simon Murray, the manager of the CCF, during the organization’s virtual open house on Wednesday, Oct. 26. “The community forest timber supply analysis has been done to provide insight into the impact of this deferral. And excluding old-growth stands from harvest reduces the timber harvesting land base by a further 38 per cent, so quite considerable … So we’re still waiting from the government and First Nations to finalize their deferrals.”
To that end, harvesting will focus on trees that are between 80 and 249 years old until younger stands grow in.
During the Q&A portion of the open house, however, Whistler ecologist Bob Brett raised questions about the ages of trees identified.
“From my tree coring in the Resort Municipality of Whistler and vicinity, it is clear that the age data in the VRI [vegetation resources inventory] is incorrect (too low) in many polygons,” he wrote. “In particular, there are virtually no unlogged stands less than 250 years old, in spite of mapping that says otherwise. Would you be willing to include accurate age data in your planning maps, even if it means deferring more area?”
Murray replied: “We rely on the VRI data … from the Ministry of Forests, and we are really not in a position to change that information. I would love to have more accurate data, yes. And I would love to share it with everybody. That would be something I would love to work on.”
During the meeting, three new projects were highlighted, in addition to updates on three others that have already been shared publicly.
New harvesting plans
The first is located in the Callaghan Valley along Callaghan Road, which leads to Whistler Olympic Park (WOP). It contains 50-year-old, second-growth Douglas fir. Harvesting work could begin as early as this winter.
“The strategy here is to leave retention for visual purposes,” Murray said. “We would like this block to only be partially visible from the road.”
Further down that road, where the Blackcomb Snowmobile dogsled base is located, three openings have recently been earmarked. This area could be harvested in the winter, but “we will have to work along with the dogsled company to mitigate any impacts to their operations,” Murray added.
Another new project: the development of mature cedars adjacent to the Brandywine Forest Service Road. The plan builds in a buffer of trees along the road to protect the snow in the winter for snowmobile use.
“There’s a tour operator and there’s a snowmobile club—the Brandywine Snowmobile Club—and they’ve indicated that they are quite concerned that the road will not hold the snow through the later portions of the winter and, if we open up the road for more sunlight, it will just make it worse for them. So we’re going to have to work on a plan for that,” Murray said.
The CCF proposes heavy retention of the mature cedar in that stand in the neighbourhood of 40 to 60 per cent, he added.
Harvesting could take place in fall or spring, but they will likely avoid winter work for snowmobilers.
Update on logging projects
Meanwhile, harvesting is set to start as soon as next month near 16 Mile Creek valley.
“This is second-growth timber,” Murray said. “The engineering and all the assessments are completed now. This project is going to improve the public access to the Ancient Cedars rec site. The road is in terrible shape … it’s quite a beautiful spot and it really is something we would like to improve public access for.”
Brandywine Creek is also slated for harvesting 4.6 hectares with low retention. The road has been upgraded by the mining tenure holder, reducing road-building costs.
The stand is older than 100 years, but less than 250, Murray added.
“We will be retaining large-diameter, old veteran trees in there. That would be our retention strategy in there. That block has been assessed and it is still a possibility for logging next year,” he said.
The final harvesting proposal shared is located near Brew Creek. That project will see 16 small openings logged with low and moderate retention. Engineering work and mapping of the area is nearing completion, Murray said.
“This will be an aerial harvesting project, which means it’s going to be helicopter logged, if it works. This area is located in the Brew Creek Community Watershed and we are required to leave additional buffers around all the riparian features in there and that would be something we’d incorporate into the design of the cut blocks.”
In the Q&A, a participant raised the question of ethics around helicopter logging, given the cost of fuel and the climate crisis.
“The reason this is being held off is exactly that: the cost of heli-logging makes it so there’s no profit at the end. The community forest will not enter into this project [when it isn't profitable]. With the rising cost of fuel, that makes it even more challenging,” Murray answered, adding that there has been virtually no availability of helicopters with most earmarked for fighting wildfires in the summer months.
Wildfire reduction work
Harvesting plans aside, the CCF also highlighted its wildfire reduction treatments—and outlined future work in that area.
The Callaghan Forest Service Road saw 45 hectares of trees removed for a fuel break, while the Cheakamus Lake Road fuel break amounted to 145 hectares.
Three new treatments planned for 2023 and beyond include: 43 hectares of a fuel break at 16 Mile Creek; an area near Wedgemount Creek (which was originally planned as a harvest) that must take mountain bike trails and potential Northern Spotted Owl habitat into consideration; and areas around the Alpine and Rainbow neighbourhoods that come with challenges, due to steep terrain.
To watch the presentation, visit cheakamuscommunityforest.com/news/cheakamus-community-forest-open-house-october-26-2022/.
