News
Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) has conducted an expedition into the headwaters of Roberts Creek (Sunshine Coast) and located a proposed BC Timber Sales Cutblock A84612 (DK045). There are 2 headwater tributaries that make up the main channel of Roberts Creek which eventually flows into the Salish Sea. The one tributary that ELF followed runs off the back side of Mt. Elphinstone. The surveyed cutblock and logging road is across steep terrain and encompasses an Age Class 9 rating forest – signifying old-growth. The tributary is made up of at 6-8 feeder streams which receives no buffer protection from the proposed logging.
“From studying maps we found out that the cutblock is located right between 2 existing Wildlife Habitat Areas (WHA), so the BCTS logging would split this WHA in half”, states Ross Muirhead of Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) a Sunshine Coast forest protection group. “This WHA protects a nice piece of Age Class 9 forest and was established to protect the Marbled Murrelet seabird which nests only in old- growth forests. Outside of this proposed cutblock and the WHA, majority of the surrounding Age Classes on the high slopes of Mt. Elphinstone is rated only at Age Class 2 - between 20-40 years old. This is the closest old growth yellow cedar to Highway 101 and thus holds awesome tourism potential due to its high ecological values. BCTS has said they will sell this block Fall 2012 – we say the community will prevail against it”, Muirhead asserts.
The other parcel in the A84612 block on Dakota Ridge was granted OGMA status by BCTS several months ago after ELF brought its possible destruction to the wider community. ELF is calling this area ‘The Roberts Creek Ancient Headwaters Forest’ given that the trees in this forest range from 250-800 years old with some possibly being 1,000 years plus and is the headwaters for Roberts Creek. Hans Penner of ELF notes, “If this forest is logged, then it poses a high risk to downstream fisheries and water users on the lower reaches of Roberts Creek. We will be sketching out a trail as soon as possible into his forest so that community members can get in and see this amazing forest. It’s an absolute travesty that logging these rare yellow cedar forests is even being considered in this day and age. Roberts Creek residents will be shocked to learn that the headwaters of their namesake creek could be wiped out with long term consequences”.
When contacted by Sustainable Coast, BCTS Woodlands Supervisor Kerry Davies confirmed that " timber sale A84612 is currently in our approved sales plan and tentatively scheduled for sale for second quarter (July 1st to Sept 30th)".
Elphinstone Logging Focus is calling on BCTS senior Forest Planners to place this area into an OGMA, thus protecting the source water of Roberts Creek and by doing so achieving connectivity between the existing Wildlife Habitat Areas.