NEWS photo Terry Peters RALF Kelman stands by one of many massive old-growth fir trees growing in the Seymour Demonstration Forest. Park designation cesired for Lower Seymour Vall By Michaal Becker News Editor michaclOnsnews,cons THE Western Canada Wilderness Committec (WCWC) is campaigning to turn the Seymour Demonstration Forest into a park. The Seymour Valley is home to some of the world’s largest old- growth fir and cedar trees. The demonstration forest, in which log- ging is allowed, is managed by the Greater Vancouver Water District (GVWD). Much of the area has been logged in the past, but up to a third of the 5,600-hectare (13,838-acre) area still supports original forest, with trees as tall as 91.4 meters (300 feet), says the WCWC. The 25,000-member group is petitioning the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) to rename the area the Seymour Ancient Groves Regional Park and change the land use of the GVWD off-catchment lands in the Lower Seymour Valley (below the Seymour Dam) to protected regional park. The group has printed 50,000 copies of 2 four-page newsletter on the issue and will be presenting its case at Sunday’s open house at the demonstration forest. Ralf Kelman has been trail-blaz- ing the area for seven years now. Some of his walking routes to the giant trees are included cn a map published in the WCWC newsletter. Kelman is passionate about the rain-forest giants and has personally identified many of the significant groves. Over the years Kelman has been taking pictures and making maps. He’s been showing them around. Said Paul George, director of cy Western Canada ——- Wilderness Committee: “Ralf Kelman has been coming into our office over the last few years, always bringing in photos of these trees. He’s gone at it sys- tematically and explored each one of those side valleys and found ineredi- ble trees.” For his part, Kelman is no longer just a voice in the wilderness. He welcomes the WCWC initiative. “Ir really vindicates my efforts to puta face on the magnificent forests in our city front yard. I want to demonstrate how you can have a world-class forest with a great uce legacy.” George said his group's success in lobbying for park designation for off-catchment and near a Victoria watershed spurred the WCWC to take up the Seymour Valley cam- paign. “What we basically want to do is move the demonstration forest to an area where they really are doing selective logging and active logging. There are plenty of areas near Squamish or up the valley which would make a much better piace for a real demonstration forest,” George said. “1 think the current demonstra- tion forest has sort of become a sham. For the last five years they’ve hardly cut there at all. A good demonstration forest should demon- strate silviculture principles. The way the Seymour Demonstration Forest is being managed is really more like a park and it has a lousy name,” he said. Said GVRD chairman George Puil of che WCIVC campaign to des- ignate the demonstration forest as park. “I don’t know why, it serves a useful purpose now. It’s open to the public. They don’t paint the picture as it actually is. [ And that a for of misinformation goes out.” er the ne Friday, August 22, 1897 — North Shore News - 3 ice rinks endorsed From pagel partnership. He described it as a good idea that did not come to fruition as the Tsleil- Waututh were unable to bring togeth- d financing, despite Chief Leonard George’s commitment. to the project and the district’s willing- Ness tO ptarantee an increased aum- ber of leased bours from what was originally propo: “[ chink thar their development partner and the band w over: extended with some of the develop- ments they'd done on their own lands and they just weren't able to make it happen,” said Bell According to Sigston, other municipalities typically lease municipal land for a 25- to 30-year term to an operator to develop and build a facili- ty. When the lease expires, the facility reverts to municipal ownership. The operator guarantees certain hours to organized ice-users, another block of hours for recreational munic- ipal use and rents remaining time on the open market. Larry Brown of North Vancouver’s Ice Users Committee acknowledged that private financing was one way of building the rink but cautioned, “We do not want to lose community control.” Brown said that an ice-users group rather than a non- community group should still control ice access and that the citizens of North Vancouver should still have 2 reason- able level of input and control of the facility. PROPOSED WINDRIDGE iCE ARENA COMPLEX NEWS grapnic Linda Oougias Council was also urged to build four ice sheets rather than the three that appeared in what Sigston described as conceptual drawings. “I believe you should look at it as being a top-class facil- ” said one long-time player, coach, parent and long: fering Canucks fan. “As boys and yirls go through hockey they all get big- ger and you know what — changing rooms shrink. You will never build it cheaper than you will today.” Forest party set for Sunday TEN rings have been added to the giant Douglas Firs in the Seymour Demonstration Forest since the creation of the unique North Shore recreation facility. And while a decade is a mere minute in the iife of a forest, the Greater Vancouver Regional District project has sprouted into an outdoor attraction that boasts over 300,000 visitors a year. This Sunday, a fittingly giant birthday celebration will be held for the demonstration forest to mark the occasion. The party starts at 10 a.m., and an hour [ater the anniversary becomes official with the cutting of a birth- day cake. The celebration continues through to 4 p.m., with numerous activities planned = for — outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Nature walks, bus tours, chainsaw carving, fish hatchery tours, horse logging and in-line demonstra- tions are among the attractions, Also, the RCMP Bicycle Rodco will be on site to entertain the crowd. There is no charge for any of the events, however, to join the bus tour a donation for the food bank is required. The demonstration forest was created to offer recre- ational and educational experiences, and judging from the success of the ‘outdoor classroom" concept, it has; fulfilled its mandate. Information culled ~ from " the forest over the past 10 years includes valuable research in watershed management, new logging techniques and wildlife management and protection. And the Seymour Demonstration Forest is set to officially name a new education building on the site. The Education Centre will include a conference/train- ing facility and a display centre. For more information about the Seymour Demonstration Forest and to volunteer call 987-1273. The forest is located at the north end of Lillooct Road in North Vancouver. — Andrew McCredie NEWS photo Brad Ledwidge Bright lights JOANNE Wildsmith (bottom of pile) has her hands full with Simon, Oliver, Jeremy, isaac and Zachary in Ambleside. The three- and four-year-old boys were auditioning for a Blue Cross Insurance commercial. The kids also star in the movie Northern Lights, which airs Saturday.