Tuck Inlet Near Prince Rupert’s

LandSat above; MOF’s ‘operable forests’ left; note extensive clear cuts already (yellow oval and below)– and more to come

Proposal for cut in Small Business’ Development Plan

A Critique

*CUT BLOCK*		*Area*	*Volume*	*Approval*	*“Average”*	*Type*	*Clearcut?*
*A64574*	A	55	28087	PA	511	C	CC
*A64574*	B	16.1	9774	PA	607	A	CC
*A64574*	C	5.2	2830	PA	544	A	CC

*Summary*		76.3	40691		533

SUMMARY

What is going on here? Helicopter logging (A in above table) is being proposed for two small patches that do not appear to be in steep terrain (see below). Instead roads are being built through the more environmentally sensitive areas and it is being cable logged. Does that make sense?

Hypothesis: we are seeing cheap stumpage ($.25?) for “helicopter” logging used to offset other costs.which may be actually putting our lands at increased risk is not acceptable.

Big Picture - Landscape level

The Tuck Inlet/Work Channel area is already heavily clearcut; A look at contour map shows much of valley bottoms logged. Thus >pressure to log Tsimshian peninsula and less valuable stands.

Silver Creek (Tuck Inlet) has been damaged severely and may only now be recovering. Georgetown Lake (which drains into Big Bay) has already lost its salmon.

One would expect any future logging to be done with as little environmental impact as feasible.

Not only is Small Business looking to go into this area, but West Fraser (Olson?) had the area in their 5 year plan to log in hills just north of Silver Creek (see below for map) Both deserve careful monitoring by PR citizens.

The Tuck Landscape unit is heavily modified and needs a plan for protecting what is left of ecologic value.

Fishery Values

Big Picture— down stream--marine

The Pearl Harbour/ Big Bay area has high value as habitat for spawning herring etc., but is also a major stopping over ‘wetlands’ for migrating shore birds. The DFO literature also mentions urchins, crab and prawns (Work Channel).

I see no mention of the Georgetown lakes system. Presumably it was dammed early in the Colonial era for a sawmill. It looks possible for enhancement—sockeye?

Watershed boundaries left—

There is an impassable barrier to fish about 2KM upstream according to DFO FISS data for Silver. Presumably Georgetown Lake (which empties into Big Bay) is now sterile according to DFO data on line

Waterbody Names

Gazetteer Name: SILVER CREEK

Watershed code:

9108013000000000000000000000000000000

SISS/RAB code:

960400000000000000000

Gazetteer Name: GEORGETOWN LAKE

Watershed code

9108233000000000000000000000000000000

Data below shows logging in 1970s wreaked havoc on coho runs; the system is still not re-“stocked” with commercial trees (NSR on cover maps)

SALMON ESCAPEMENT SILVER CREEK INFORMATION
District	Fish Species	10 Year Period	10 Year Period Mean	10 Year Period Maximum	Period of Record	Historical Maximum	Year of the Historical Maximum	Targets
4A	CHIN	1984-93	4	4	1953-93	4	1989	250
4A	CHUM	1985-94	8	20	1953-94	2000	1954	3000
4A	COHO	1984-93	35	75	1953-93	1500	1966	300
4A	EVPK	1986-94	3000	9000	1954-94	9000	1986	3000
4A	ODPK	1985-93	3360	4300	1953-93	4300	1993	3000

Small Business clear cut proposal—Sense or cents?

(see below for larger scale map)

Terrane Map (sic)

Note the blue circles show road and logging is to be built through areas with >60% slope (brown on map). WHY?

The steepest area (according to map) is to be roaded and cable logged.

The helicopter drop site has a road being built to it. Note the previous roaded areas just to north (Xs on map)

(more maps below)

The online SBFEP map shows better detail

This is from the PDF map given by SBFEP on WWW.

I have computed the volumes to show that lower right cut block has 607 M³/ hectare.

Note the road which goes through steep terrane and then ends in HD (Helicopter Drop)

Suggestion:

Either helicopter log the small peninsula in Block A, at upper left of red square; or use existing roads (in green area) for Blocks B&C

Larger scale on left and details below.

On this “biodiversity” map the brownish color identifies better sites for tree growth; throughout these plans these are the areas sought by MOF clear cutters.

The circle on left expanded on right ; aqua circle below

West Fraser cut blocks outlined in black below

ANY COMMENTS???