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Here are links to a lot of other coverage,
including video links.
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Englishman Island Logging
Apparently the (only) Island in the Englishman River, located upstream of the Englishman Falls Park is being logged by Island Timberlands.
Area on google map
Englishman River Falls Provincial Park
They have topped and limbed all of the old growth grove trees and are lifting
them out by helicopter, the trees are dead.
I have spent 25 years on habitat restoration here.
It makes me sick.
Its the last of the best habitat in a river system literally disassembled by
private land logging.
How can we protect areas so ecologically significant?
Dave
These are photos taken February 11, 2009 on a 10 acre island in the middle of Englishman River a 20 minute walk above the Upper Falls. Ribbons and cutting provided by Island Timberlands care of Brookfield Assets Management Inc. Helicopters to follow...
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This is a reality!
PLEASE CHECK OUT A BRAND NEW VIDEO I SHOT
FEBRUARY 12, 2009 on "BEAR DEN ISLAND"
http://blip.tv/file/1775738/
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxddTtoXxrs
This Island in the middle of
Englishman River is just 1 km upstream from the Upper Falls and is adjacent to
the boundary of the Provincial Park. 5 minutes with several people on the
island February 12, 2009 as ISLAND TIMBERLANDS prepares to Heli-log this old
growth forest. Brookfield Asset Management owns 51% of this Vancouver Island
logging company while the remaining 49% shares are owned by the BC Liberal
Government as part of the employees pension funds. Find more at:
http://islandlens.blogspot.com
This series of photos was taken Sunday morning
February 14th. while on the island with chek news. All of the big giants have
been cut down as they are too heavy and large to lift out verticaly off the
stump. They have been bucked up into three sections. The less large giants have
been cut through at the base in preparation for heli lifting. Look close and you
can see the cuts. Also the downed habitat trees that were felled and wasted.
The last of an intact virgin coastal douglas forest ecosystem gone for ever.
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ISLAND LENS #116
by Richard Boyce
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2009
BROOKFIELD LOGGING ISLAND
FOREST IN THE MIDDLE OF ENGLISHMAN RIVER
Governments stands by
while Island Timberlands logs island in the middle of a river where this Bear
dens in a Culturally Modified Cedar Tree on behalf of Brooksfield Asset
Management Inc. on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
With the
impending doom of YK2 I spent New Years Eve on a personal wilderness retreat. I
camped out on a beautiful island in the middle of Englishman River where massive
Douglas fir and Cedar trees tower over a diversity of undergrowth that has the
distinct characteristics of an old growth forest. Thick moss grows everywhere
and bright tuffs of lichens hang from branches, tree trunks, and shale along the
rivers banks. This lush forest grows on an island of fertile sediment that has
been deposited by the river over many centuries. This tiny jewel of forest is
nestled in a deep ravine carved out by the river, somehow the trees escaped
logging of the past.
To get there I followed the provincial park trail upstream from the upper
waterfalls, walked through a tree farm logged by MacMillan-Bloedel in 1986, and
crawled carefully over a fallen log to reach this tiny island paradise.
Approaching the spot I knew would be the best for my tent I heard a noise.
Clawing followed by silence. Looking up into the forest ahead I saw a black bear
about ten meters up a cedar tree. It was looking over its shoulders at me and
looked very cute but didn't move. I backed away slowing and found another route
to the tiny beach where I set up my camp. I didn't sleep very much with the
thought of the bear but at that moment I thought we were both in one of the
safest spots in the world.
The next morning I returned to the cedar tree with my camera and noticed that it
appeared to have a cultural modification where the bark had been stripped off
one side, perhaps to be used for weaving by First Nations people many years ago.
The tree had healed itself, with the bark curling over the scar, but then fire
had burned the dry exposed wood. This may have been caused by First Peoples
attempting to fell the tree to use for a totem, canoe, or building. The bottom
of the tree was burned out leaving a fairly large cavity.
I approached cautiously. A slight movement alerted me to a large nose, which was
sniffing me out from inside a pile of leaves. The bear rose ever so slowly and
looked at me. I took a photo when it was standing at full height, and then
backed away slowly. The bear lowered itself back into the den and I returned
home.
Today that very same island forest is being logged by Brookfield Asset
Management Inc., which owns Island Timberlands. The massive trees are being
killed with chainsaws that first limb all the branches, then top the crown off
the tree, and finally cut down these veteran trees so that a helicopter can pull
the giant logs into the air and dumps them on the side of a logging road.
This logging operation is pure desperation by the multinational corporation
which is cutting down any remaining trees that can be sold on the collapsing
world market. This brazen logging adjacent to a provincial park may be used to
set a terrible precedent that logging in the middle of a river is okay. The
Englishman River has been rated as an endangered river yet it provides drinking
water to thousands of residents in the Oceanside area as well as spawning
grounds for salmon that are on the brink of extinction.
The banks of Englishman River, from this tiny island forest upstream to the
dammed reservoir at Arrowsmith Lake, are dotted with old growth trees that were
left behind during logging operations of the past. Today, both the provincial
and federal governments allow private corporations to destroy fragile
watersheds. Ministries of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries all refuse to
protect public water from private interests.
What is desperately needed in British Columbia, and across Canada, is
legislation that protects watersheds regardless of private ownership of lands.
The upcoming provincial elections on May 12, along with the referendum on
proportional representation, can make a difference. Until then you need to ask
questions about our watersheds or nothing will change. To make your voice heard
locally contact Island Timberlands or your local MLA. To find out more check
out: www.brookfield.com
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____________________
Richard
Boyce is a free-lance writer and award winning documentary filmmaker.
Island
Lens has been published by the Parksville-Qualicum News for the past 5 years.
-----------------------------------
Richard Boyce, BFA, MFA
Producer/Director
Island Bound Media Works
http://www.islandboundmedia.ca
http://islandlens.blogspot.com