August 2, 1992 44 pages

Office, Editorial 965-2131

GVRD board defers decision
on old-growth watershed sites

THE EXPECTED

Regional District (GVRD)

batile between

Greater Vancouver

board members and en-

vironmental groups over proposed 1992 logging cutblocks
in the North Shore watersheds at Friday’s GVRD board

meeting failed to materialize.

Much to the surprise of cn-
vironmental groups such as the
Society Promoting Envircnmental
Conservation (SPEC) and tke
Western Canada Wilderness
Committee (WCWC), the GVRD
deferred its decision on the seven
contreversial cutblocks containing
old-growth trees in the North
Shore’s Capilano and Seymour
watersheds for more discussion in
September.

Bult the board approved the
other seven cutblocks recom-
mended by the GVRD‘s watershed
staff that neither environmental
group opposed.

The 14 cutblocks, which make
up 84 hectares, 42 of which are
old-growth forest, were recom-
mended by the GVYRD_ water
committee on July 16.

The GVYRD would reulize ap-
proximately $700,000 in net profit
from logging all of the proposed
cutblocks.

On Friday, the GVRD_ board
followed to the letter a SPEC
press release circulated before the
meeting. The press release iden-
tified the uncontested cutblocks,
which are mainly second-growth
areas with high fire risks and
some diseased stands.

Both SPEC and the WCWC
said the old-growth cutblocks are
healthy and face no immediate
risk of fire, disease or pestilence.

The GVRD’s current logging
policy is to log trees that are con-
sidered susceptible to disease,
pestilence or fire, even if the trees
are currently healthy.

“We're very pleased that they
followed our recommendations,”
said Paul Hundal, SPEC vice-
president. ‘‘] must admit that I
was very surprised.”

Various board members admit-
ted during the meeting that they'd
had second thoughts about the 14
cutblocks.

North Vancouver District

By Cheryi Ziola
Contributing Writer

Mayos and board member Murray
Dykeman urged the board to ‘‘re-
consider the total p
believe we have the capac
take a second look.”

Even Port Coquithim
and board member Len
Traboulay, who originally sup-
ported watershed logging last
April, made a complete tur-
naround.

“I'm having difficulty approv-
ing the resolution before me. (This
decision) should not be driven by
the amount of cubic metres to
meet some contract. If the over-
riding principle is water quality
then | will be voting against it,"
he said.

But loggers were not satisfied
with Friday’s GVRD decision.

A faller from C & R Logging,
the only group holding a logging
contract with the GVRD, said the
company is going to collapse.

“*They gave us seven cutblocks
to cut. We've had four cutblocks
this year. We need 10 more,’’ said
Dan Wyllie. *‘Fallers have worked
nine weeks so far this year. We
normally work nine months,’’ he
said.

Wyllie accused the GVRD of
throwing fallers out into the
streets.

John Morse, GVRD watershed
supervisor, admitted that six of
the seven cutblocks deferred
would “impact on his (faller’s)
work. We're in a situation where
we're trying to fulfil the contrac-
tual obligations...and satisfy the
board.”’

Mayor

But Morse refused to comment
further on contract legalities or
whether the GVRD could be sued
for breach of contract.

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and pull the plug on crime: (left to right, foreground) Ken Wilson, Royal Insurance; RCMP
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background) Penny Wastell, Roya! Insurance; BC Hydro’s Harold Nelson, RCMP Const. Marty
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