Monday, November 4, 2013

WATER USERS' FORUM - NOVEMBER 10th

WHO IS PROTECTING YOUR DRINKING WATER?

You are invited to join us and find out at our Water Users’ Forum to be
held November 10th from 7pm to 9pm at Nelson United Church at the corner
of Silica and Josephine.

This significant event is framed to build community awareness by
identifying urgent challenges many water users face due to weakened
legislation, global warming and the recent upsurge in logging practices in
watersheds.  It highlights potential solutions based on scientific
research, and stewardship ethics, values and principles to benefit all
people and to encourage the development of an ecologically sustainable
water future.

Presenters include:

•       Billie Jo Bray, Sinixt welcoming
•       Martin Carver, geomorphologist, hydrologist and consultant
•       Greg Utzig, conservation ecologist and land use planning consultant
•       Ron Mickel, Regional District of Central Kootenays, Electoral Area F
•       Ramona Faust, Regional District of Central Kootenays, Electoral Area E
•       Water users from Duhamel Creek, Laird Creek and Perry Ridge

Suggested Minimum Donation $10

This event is a fundraiser to help support a local community’s needs to
sustain safety, clean drinking water and environmental integrity.

For more information contact:  sgnelken@shaw.ca 250-352-5274 or
nadia@netidea.com 250-825-4517

Sponsored by Nelson Chapter Council of Canadians, Duhamel Watershed
Alliance, West Kootenay Eco Society and Perry Ridge Water Users
Association

Friday, October 4, 2013

COMMUNITY ACTION ALERT - TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8TH

Please join our concerned citizen's group for a field review of Goose Creek cut block. We are all to meet at the Goose Creek Forest Road in Pass Creek at 10 am on Tuesday, October 8th.

This is an important opportunity to ask Kalesnikoff Lumber Company (KLC) questions about blowndown trees in Goose Creek watershed and request information about and changes to the upcoming logging in Pass Creek.

SUMMARY OF REQUESTS TO KLC:

Concerned  Citizens want KLC to leave wide bands of forested area running through clear cuts 3 times as wide as the trees are tall to mitigate effects of the inevitable blowdown. The bands should connect to groves or islands and the left area should include all different health specimens of conifer trees (not just deciduous and diseased trees). This will allow for genetic diversity of natural regrowth, wildlife corridors, prevention of blowdown, and mitigate the affects on the viewscape.

We are also requesting:

Clear, accurate and approved maps which outline what is going to be logged now and what will be logged in the future with rough timeframe; results from a windthrow assessment; a root rot management plan; and a fuel spill management plan. These are essential items to ensure our water and viewscapes are protected.

PLEASE ATTEND  - for more information or directions, contact passcreekvalley@gmail.com.

SIGN PETITION to Take BC Government to Court to STOP its Unconstitutional Life Threatening Logging


WHY IS THIS URGENT ACTION IMPORTANT?

The Provincial Government of British Columbia is acting in blatant contempt of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; people's physical and mental integrity, safety, and lives are not only being ignored, they are being manipulated out of existence. They are increasing clear-cut logging in watershed and logging-caused landslide areas of the West Kootenays, using closed, industry-biased processes to change already delineated legal criteria. 

JOIN our CONCERNED CITIZEN'S GROUP to learn more. 

SIGN the PETITION HERE: 

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Take_BC_Government_to_Court_to_stop_its_unconstitutional_lifethreatening_logging_1/?eCSiPcb



Sunday, September 22, 2013

NEW VIDEO Shows Aftermath of Logging in Goose Creek Watersheds

When Kalsenikoff Lumber Company (KLC) took a group of concerned citizens out on a field trip they showed us an area with Ponderosa Pines left every 35 meters. KLC said this would be similar to how our side of the mountain would look with the 'leave' trees. Only problem is that we do not have Ponderosa Pines with 35 feet +  tap roots on this side of Pass Creek valley. We have primarily Fir, which have a shallow lateral root system and grow primarily on bedrock with a very thin layer of topsoil. The trees they propose to 'leave' will most certainly blow down with the winds we get here in the valley. The video below of logging next to us in Goose Creek is a perfect example.





Sunday, September 15, 2013

VOICES OF CONCERNED CITIZENS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Concerned citizens of Pass Creek, Robson and Raspberry have united in a campaign to protect our watersheds from road building and logging, and to preserve our scenic and wildlife corridor. 

Rialto Creek/Ladybird mountain area provides domestic drinking and agricultural water to approximately 2000 users along the base of the mountain. 

Immediate concerns include: 
  • Water quality
  • Installation of a gate to protect watersheds and wildlife corridors from recreational vehicles (a similar practice in jurisdictions across the province)
  • Changes to view scape in the Pass Creek Valley
  • Self regulatory logging practices introduced by government 

As citizens of BC we have a right to the sustainable use of forests - outlined in the Forest Practice Code of BC Act: 

WHEREAS British Columbians desire sustainable use of the forests they hold in trust for future generations;

AND WHEREAS sustainable use includes

(a) managing forests to meet present needs without compromising the needs of future generations,
(b) providing stewardship of forests based on an ethic of respect for the land,
 (c) balancing economic, productive, spiritual, ecological and recreational values of forests to meet the economic, social and cultural needs of peoples and communities, including First Nations,
(d) conserving biological diversity, soil, water, fish, wildlife, scenic diversity and other forest resources, and
(e) restoring damaged ecologies.

Recently, citizens participated in an onsite field review with Kalesnikoff Lumber Company (KLC) to understand the impacts of the proposed logging over the next 4-6 years. While the field visit provided additional information on road building and cut blocks, it did not adequately address citizen's concerns for watershed protection. A request by KLC and individual citizens for a gate was denied by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Operations. 

We understand that logging takes place in all of our valleys but we believe citizens have the right to be consulted and included in decisions that affect our watersheds and our environments.

We request the following:

  • sufficient buffer zones along creeks and property boundaries to protect water sources from blow downs,
  • a gate to limit access from recreational vehicles to ensure water quality and protection of wildlife and habitats,
  • accurate and approved maps,
  • environmentally sound logging practices, 
  • limited changes to view scape, and
  • on-going consultation.

Please join in on our efforts to ensure protection of Pass Creek watersheds. For more information please email passcreekvalley@gmail.com.