Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) is criticizing current logging activity and logging that may be about to start on private managed forest in the Chapman watershed and upper Roberts Creek.
ELF claims logging on property in the Chapman Creek watershed owned by AJB Investments, and its affiliate Surespan, is violating some aspects of regulations for private managed forests.
ELF’s Ross Muirhead told Coast Reporter this week that the group is filing a formal complaint with the Managed Forest Council about the work underway in the area above the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) water intake.
The complaint points to road building that ELF claims is too close to streams, and says too many trees are being removed from a required 10-metre setback in riparian areas.
ELF blockaded AJB’s properties in the watershed in 2014 and again in 2016. The 2016 blockade was ended by a court injunction.
ELF has also continued lobbying the SCRD to buy the land.
The company said in an email that it has been following managed forest guidelines and the work in the Chapman watershed has been inspected by the Managed Forest Council, which found no deficiencies.
The issue ELF is raising in Roberts Creek is around work by Island Timberlands, such as flagging and timber cruising, that could be preparations to harvest parts of District Lot (DL) 2674, a 113-hectare (278-acre) block off Day Road.
The area is popular with local residents for hiking and mountain biking.
ELF’s Hans Penner said in a release that the group wants to work with local residents to come up with creative measures and solutions to have the “Day Road Forest” protected, and suggested Island Timberlands should consider donating it to the SCRD as a park.
“This forest shows several old-growth features and has a rare red cedar-sword fern plant community which is blue-listed, but is now recommended by the Forest Practices Board to be red-listed since this forest type is at serious risk to being lost,” said Penner. “Trees on the edge of Roberts Creek have been tagged to be logged.”
DL 2674 is the same property Island Timberlands had buildings that people had been living in removed from in April 2016. RCMP were called in and two people were arrested.
At the time, the company said it had no immediate plan to harvest the area. Island Timberlands has not responded to Coast Reporter’s requests for an update on its activities on DL 2674.
ELF’s latest initiatives are playing out as the group and the Sunshine Coast Community Forest await a court ruling on Community Forest logging in two areas of East Wilson Creek.
ELF succeeded in getting a temporary injunction against the logging, which was eventually lifted when ELF was unable to come up with financial guarantees that it could cover any damages the Community Forest might be awarded.
The judge in the case, however, said she found there were legitimate questions around the Community Forest’s public consultation that she wanted to hear arguments on.
That hearing took place March 5. It’s unclear when a ruling will be handed down.
