If you feel as strongly as we do that we need reform in our forestry policies in British Columbia, please consider sending a letter.
Letter #1
The Nature Conservancy through which the access road runs has held the right to deny access to BCTS for 2+ years. The heavy equipment required for a clear cut operation would involve widening this road, and would also pass over a portion of the subterranean water table that feeds into the aquifer. The statement from the Ministry of Transportation confirming that the right of way is governed by the owner of the private property through which the road runs.
Below is a sample letter to the Nature Conservancy, whose mandate is the preservation of the natural environment and to help maintain species habitat and diversity. https://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/where-we-work/british-columbia/
Send your own version to the 4 people listed.
catherine.Grenier@natureconservancy.ca President Ottawa
danielle.Cross@natureconservancy.ca Local Rep. 1 250-216-8502
nature@natureconservancy.ca General
bcoffice@natureconservancy.ca Janice Watts, BC Rep. 1-877-231-3552
Sample:
I have been a supporter of the ideals behind the Nature Conservancy of Canada for many years. After learning of the NCC’s decision to allow for use of Butler Rd by BC Timber Sales, to clearcut a watershed and wildlife habitat, I now withdraw all support.
Butler Rd runs through the middle of Toad Hollow, an area of land entrusted to your care and protection. The NCC is a caretaker of the terrain up to the edge of gravel on Butler Road. The forest, meadow and wetland are home to bear, deer, birds, painted turtles, frogs and toads. A creek, which is part of the outlying watershed flows beneath the most narrow and winding part of the road. It would be impossible for a loaded logging truck to pass through this road without causing damage.
You claim to be caretakers of the environment. Your Facebook page boasts the protection of the painted turtle. Two active painted turtle ponds border Toad Hollow. Both are threatened by the clearcut and subsequent logging truck activity. How can you claim any commitment to the environment based on your decision to allow the use of this road for this destruction?
I look forward to your response and will definitely share this information with other people who sincerely care about our environment
Ministry of Transportation Statement
Butler Road (road number 13-D-D-00192) is within our current inventory as maintenance class 7F (road is minimally maintained in the summer and not maintained in the winter). It is an unsurveyed road that spans over 4 parcels, one of which is crown land and the other three are private land. Without a right-of-way, we maintain this road for the benefit of the travelling public on the travelled portion only (edge of gravel to edge of gravel).
The 3 private parcels Butler Road crosses on is:
- PID 014-130-734
- PID 012-685-186
- PID 007-528-540
As we do not have surveyed right-of-way, anything undertaken beyond the gravel shoulder requires permission from the landowner. This includes works such as: road upgrading, road widening, ditching, and installing culverts. Any third party wanting to upgrade the road would require permission from the landowner and would have to meet Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure standards.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks,
Aimee Barre (she/her)
A/ Operations Manager SA13, Okanagan Shuswap District
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
P: 778-699-2474| C:778-692-7519| F:250-503-3631| aimee.barre@gov.bc.ca