The District of Sechelt is under increasing criticism from the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association about how they are proceeding with the proposed community forest.
"There has not been adequate public consultation as part of the application process and we are opposed to any proposal involving logging in the watershed," executive director for the conservation association Dan Bouman said.
Bouman maintains that the District of Sechelt should not be awarded a community forest licence because they have not "achieved agreement with all other stakeholders." The Sunshine Coast Regional District and the Sechelt Indian Band have refused to partner with the District in their community forest venture, citing concerns over logging in the watershed.
But Sechelt Mayor Cam Reid says he expects the support of these governmental bodies and community groups on the Coast once a community forest licence is granted and detailed plans are made available.
"I think there is always criticism from some, but when we look at the plan as it is developed with input from the residents of the Sunshine Coast, I believe there will be support from the majority," Reid said.
Reid said he expected to have the licence for a community forest by now, but trouble with the provincial mapping system has delayed the process.
"We need to have those maps before the licence can be granted," Reid said.
A letter dated March 31 from Greg Hemphill, district manager of the Sunshine Coast Forest District, states the district's management plan submitted on March 7 has been approved and implies the licence will be issued shortly.
Reid says that once that licence is granted, a new board of directors and an advisory group will be set up. Those groups will drive the remainder of the process that includes specific uses of the proposed 10,000 hectare forest, which areas will be logged and when.
Bouman says that process is "backwards" saying it only makes sense for the community and other government agencies to be on board before a licence is granted.
"This has not been a transparent public process. They are hiding from the public," he said.
Reid disagrees, saying the District has had no detailed plans to present to the public and won't have those plans in place until after the licence is granted.
Bouman says he has had to file freedom of information (FOI) requests to obtain "any information on the community forest proposal."
Staff at the District say they have been "more than willing to provide any information requested," noting Bouman's group has filed one FOI request without asking for the information beforehand.
"Any information we have, we give out freely when we're asked. No information is ever refused," said Joni Heinrich, municipal clerk at the District of Sechelt.
Bouman accuses the District of being secretive and having an "agenda."
"We feel they have an agenda we think they're hiding and we'll smoke them out," he said.
Reid denies having an agenda. "Our board will be made up of people from the entire Sunshine Coast so that board will be non-political and will reflect the needs and expectations of the Sunshine Coast residents," Reid said. "The District of Sechelt just had to be involved to get the process going, but we are planning to step back and let the community drive the community forest."
Bouman says the conservation association may consider legal action if the forest licence is granted.
"The District of Sechelt has been and will be under intense scrutiny every step of the way," Bouman said. "Licence or no licence, we will advocate for the community and hold the district accountable. We'll use every possible respectable legal means to hold them accountable."
Reid hopes the conservation association will put aside their distrust and join the advisory board to help guide the community forest's future.
"We would love to have them on board," Reid added.
Bouman said the association would consider joining if the watershed was taken out of the community forest proposal.
"We would love to be participants and support the community forest," Bouman said. "We originally proposed the idea on the Sunshine Coast. We started floating that idea in the late 1990s. The community should have control over forest practices in their community. I'd love to see Mount Elphinstone saved, for example. But we are opposed to any logging in the watershed."
