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Elphinstoners walk Reed Road Forest

DL 1313
ELF
Some of the almost 50 people who showed up on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, for a walk in what’s known as the Reed Road Forest (DL 1313).

Almost 50 people showed up on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, for a walk in what’s known as the Reed Road Forest (DL 1313).

Area E director Lorne Lewis and the Elphinstone Community Association are spearheading efforts to save the 118 acres of forest, which BC Timber Sales (BCTS) has posted to be logged.

Creeks rushing down the lower slopes of the mountain were full to overflowing, even flooding parts of the road that day and one of the walk’s organizers, Gayle Neilson, pointed out that without the forest holding soil in place, properties below could be at risk of flooding or even slides.

Marilyn Giesbrecht, from the group of neighbours potentially most affected, stressed the need to continue to write letters to decision-makers.

The block had been identified as a Gibsons Water Reserve some years ago, and with the number of streams flowing through the forest, one can see why.

A long line of hikers scrambled along the trail, that wends through only a small portion of the forest, and stopped for photos by a particularly large tree.

Although Area E has several small neighbourhood parks, Reed Road is the only substantial forest and particularly important since it has never been logged (except for some minor, long-ago hand-logging). A fire went through the region in 1906 and the forest has regenerated naturally since then.

The Elphinstone Community Association urges people interested in preserving this special forest to write to Forests Minister Doug Donaldson at FLNR.Minister@gov.bc.ca. More information about the campaign to save DL 1313 can be found at elphinstone-community.ca

– Submitted