Merritt District Staff actively solicited public input on the Timber Supply Review in the Merritt Timber Supply Area through the following actions:
• direct mail-out of the three documents to 29 organizations and businesses within and adjacent to the Merritt Timber Supply Area. The Discussion Paper included a response form which readers were encouraged to complete and return to the district manager
• 15 information sessions were held with representatives from the timber industry, labour, local governments, First Nations and other interest groups (see Table 1)
• two open houses were advertised in local newspapers, on local radio stations and through a direct mail-out
• newspaper articles were encouraged
As Table 1 shows, over 400 people participated in the information sessions and open houses. The Merritt Forest District also received 15 completed response forms from the public and seven written submissions including a technical critique from the Merritt Forest Licencees (see Appendix 1).
|
Activities (No. of participants) |
Date |
|
Meetings with interest groups | |
|
Nicola Watershed |
Feb. 15, 1995 |
|
Community Roundtable (30) Ardew Wood Products (100) |
Feb. 21, 1995 |
|
Princeton Rotary Club (25) |
April 11, 1995 |
|
Merritt Rotary Club (25) |
April 13, 1995 |
|
Local government | |
|
Princeton (6) |
April 3, 1995 |
|
Merritt (10) |
March 28, 1995 |
|
First Nations (46) | |
|
Upper Similkameen |
Feb. 20, 1995 |
|
Lower Similkameen |
Feb. 20, 1995 |
|
Upper Nicola |
March 31, 1995 |
|
Lower Nicola |
April 30, 1995 |
|
Coldwater |
May 30, 1995 |
|
Nooaitch |
May 31, 1995 |
|
Shackan |
May 24, 1995 |
|
Open Houses/Public Meetings | |
|
Merritt (120) |
Feb. 28, 1995/March 1, 1995 |
|
Princeton (85) |
March 2, 1995/March 3, 1995 |
Table 1: Participation in public information activities
