FOR the past | f
mapping giant trees in the Seymour Demonstration
Forest.:K cd |

- Stoltmann to identify some of the record trees of B.C.,

is astounded at what he's finding on the North Shore.

residents and offers every
convenience in intermediate
and extended care living.

eiman; who’once teamed.up with Randy |

BY MICHAEL BECKER

Veen aman sree eae reed senses earasensnae

News Edizor

MAKE your way up to
the parking iot by Rice
Lake at the entrance to
the Seymour:
Demonstration Forest.
If you take the time to
stop there, either to park
the car or meet with
friends to blade or bike
the paved road up to the
Seymour dam, you can’t
help but sec the giant
cross section of a mas-
sive tree cut down in the
area years ago.

If you didn’t know any bet-
ter, you'd naturally think it'a

. relic from some long past peri-

od when giant trees such as it
were to be found in the Lower
Seymour watershed valley that
surrounds the Seymour River.
It’s an easy mistake to make. It’s

_the wood fibre version of a

dinosaur bone. People look at

the huge round of wood and
‘marvel, They count the rings.

They take pictures of themselves
standing by it, dwarfed by its
audacious circumference.
Some then choose to take
that lovely walk around the lake
or perhaps explore the trails

‘towards the river. Others roll

WaWS photo Tiry Petes - along the asphalt strip tothe

x years Ralf Kelman (above) has been |

dam. It cuts through a verdant
swath of second growth forest.

~ And yet just a few minutes from

the road stand groves of ancient
first-growth trees. Few people

.know: about these. hidden

Nestled

f among tall
‘cedars, — ;
Beacon Hill

i Lodge is °
“situated ®
between
Capilano =f

-River’s sunny

west side
and.
Brothers

Our ongoing commitment to excellence in care and service
make our home “a delightful place to live.”
i )

BEACON HILL LODGE.
525 ClypE AVENUE, WEST VANCOUVER, B.C. V7T 1C4
(604) 926-6856
(604) 926-0245

Sunday, July 28, 1996 - North Shore News - Special Supplement - 51

Giants lurking in Our Town

giants. Itis a case of not seeing
the trees for the forest.

When the Seymour
Demonstration Forest was offi-
cially opened nine years ago for-
met lieutenant-governor Henry
Bell-Irving called the area “an
outstanding jewel in the crown
of the Lower Mainland.”

At the time it was pointed
out by a Greater Vancouver
Regional District official that
the valley had been logged and
logged again and that some-
where down the road when
need dictated, 2 second dam at
the south end of the watershed
could be built to meet the
region’s growing need. for

water. In the meantime the plan

of the day in 1987 envisioned a
15-year program to build an
extensive trail network through-
out 10 zones within the valley. .

Yet to this day the magnifi-
cent big fir and cedar trees ring-
ing the valley remain one of the
best kept secrets on the North
Shore.

For the past six years now
Ralf Kelman has been locating
the giants. He’s made trails and
maps. Years ago he teamed up
with Randy Stoltmann to iden-
tify some of the record trees of

British Columbia. Kelman is

" astounded at what he’s finding |
- on the North Shore.
The Lower Seymour valley .

was logged, but nor in the way ”

one might imagine. Many big

trees were left behind in what:

was.a selective process of cut-
ting. "
“] was finding them all over

North Shore Homeé Su,

i

[P @o © Go BS. Se ee ee ee es 02 2

the place in the rest of this so-
called demonstration forest. J
thought, ‘well let's demonstrate
some of the ancient living lega-

c

“Ir became quite an adven-
ture going down endless creeks
and mountain sides, chased by
bears and killer chiprounks.
Gradually my inventory grew as
I went along,” Keiman said.

Because the area was selec-
tively logged earlier in the cen-
tury, the terrain surrounding

many of the giants poses rela-
tively few. obstacles: for trail:
building. re
“The whole sense on the ©
North Shore is here are the’
stumps of the forest. that was,” :
but not only are there (
size and aye, {realized i noticed ©
ideal trail potential in:marvel-.”
lous and interesting enviroa-"':
ments,” said Kelman. The west =
side of the valley-has received:

the closest attention.“

At the four-kilomietre point -
on the west side along the road

See Stalking page 34 ;

Gg a em a SS HS SO NO oe rg

effice has moved te:

-in your family,
Our professionally
have provided
Shore residents
over fifty years. \:
located in North’

> For-counselting
community pr

,

pork
4

Community Health, Services .
24 hour services include:
ae Bathing & Personal Care a Companionship

423 Housekeeping |
sy Meal Programs
& Home Nursing |
2 Mental Health Support
ey Shopping & Errands
@® Child Care

#} Relief for Caregivers
8 Medical Alert’

@ Adult Day Programs i
at,

Disabilities _

Serving the N.S. .
Community Since 1963

North Shore Home Support
” wishes to thank all chose who sts

their recent request
for donations.

or

amount raised is $69,652.

making a tax deductible contribution

to this exciting and worthwhile project.

Family Services of the Necth Shore {
ison the move. our worth Vancex
101 + 255° Wi:

2 Support to Perséns.wiin | and full” of met

‘| ings thac make:

If day-to-day struggles are affecting relation: hi

I's: familiar,’ comfortable |'

people, pets and belong:

Caring Counts.:;

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