Kootney Lake, Summary of Public Input

Public Review Process and Response

Assessment of the timber supply in the Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Area has been underway since 1987. During this time, a great deal of interest was expressed by media, local governments, forest companies, groups, and individuals. Over the years, Forest Service staff provided many presentations to update interested parties on the process.

As part of the Timber Supply Review initiated in 1993, Kootenay Lake Forest District staff actively solicited public input through the following actions:

• When the Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Analysis Report was completed in July 1993, 68 forest-related companies, groups and government agencies in the Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Area were advised of its availability. The general public were made aware through a press release and advertising in local papers. Approximately 350 copies of the report were distributed to interested groups and individuals. Presentations were made to local governments, forest companies, Forest Service staff, and other organizations at this time.

• When the Kootenay Lake Socio-Economic Assessment and Public Discussion Paper were completed on July 20, 1994, the Discussion Paper was circulated to the same groups which received the Timber Supply Analysis Report and they were advised that the Socio-Economic Assessment was available. The Public Discussion Paper included a response form which readers were encouraged to complete and return to the Forest Service District Manager.

• Copies of the three documents were available at the four Forest Service offices within the Kootenay Lake District (Nelson, Four-Mile, Creston and Kaslo). Approximately 830 copies of the Discussion Paper and 150 copies of the Socio-Economic Assessment were circulated.

• Forest Service staff offered to make presentations or discuss the Timber Supply Review in detail with each of the 68 organizations and groups within the timber supply area. Presentations were made to four local governments and one community round table.

• Public open houses were held at Forest Service District offices in Creston, Kaslo and Four-Mile, near Nelson.

• Forest Service staff were interviewed by local newspapers and radio stations, who gave considerable publicity to the Timber Supply Review. On October 4th, 1994, the District Manager participated in a debate on this subject hosted and covered by the local cable television station.

As Table 1 shows, approximately 68 individuals attended the information sessions and open houses. The low attendance at the open houses appears to have been largely due to the many different government initiatives which were underway at the time, particularly the Kootenay-Boundary Regional Land Use Planning process of the Commission on Resources and Environment (CORE).

Table 1. Participation at the information sessions and open houses

The Kootenay Lake Forest District and the chief forester received 172 written responses from individuals, municipal governments, and companies. (Appendix A lists the organizations which provided written responses.) Most respondents wrote letters or briefs; only 12 response forms from the Public Discussion Paper were completed

The Kootenay Lake Forestry Association, which includes the forest companies operating in the Kootenay Lake Timber Supply Area, conducted a separate timber supply analysis using different assumptions regarding timber supply (referred to as the 'timber industry critique' in this summary). The Interior Lumber Manufacturers' Association also provided a critique of the Socio-Economic Assessment.

The reports and written submissions have been summarized into this report.