Plans to log near Mt. Elphinstone Provincial Park in Roberts Creek have been changed to avoid building a road across five environmentally sensitive creeks.
Instead, B.C. Timber Sales (BCTS) now plans to use the existing B&K Road and build small side roads between the creeks to access the new cutblocks.
But Rick O'Neill, a wildlife photographer who is part of the grassroots protest against the cutblocks, is still concerned about the plans to log near the park.
"It's a very sensitive habitat area for tailed frogs and red-legged frogs between the creeks, especially Clough Creek and Clack Creek," said O'Neill.
As well as the environmental concerns about the fate of forest plants and animals, O'Neill said many people in Roberts Creek are worried about how the logging will affect their properties.
"They've cut most of what's above already, and we feel the community should have a buffer from the clearcuts," he said.
That concern about logging on Mt. Elphinstone will be one item on the agenda during an upcoming public meeting with BCTS. The dat of the meeting, organized by the Sunshine Coast Regional District, had not yet been confirmed at press time.
Gibsons Mayor Barry Janyk said he asked for this meeting because of the public interest in BCTS activities, including policies on local bidding, how contractors are screened, how proposed clearcuts will affect viewscapes and how much revenue BCTS generates for the Crown as opposed to the local community.
"Hopefully they'll have a good presentation and people can ask what their proposals are for the next five years," said Janyk.
