Log exports
Six letters—representing two members of the public, one municipality, two planning commissions and one industry association—oppose log exports. Four of the writers refer to the standing green permits while two propose a steep levy on any unprocessed log leaving the islands.
Land use
Two writers encourage the implementation of better land-use planning practices in the timber supply area. They raise concerns about forestry practices near fish-bearing streams. The upper Tlell River is cited as a watershed requiring special planning.
Another writer suggests that all ecological reserves in the timber supply area be eliminated and the land returned to the timber harvesting land base.
Tenure management
One writer recommends that all Queen Charlotte Islands forest land management decisions be made while considering all forest lands (i.e., tree farm licences and the timber supply area). Neither should be managed in isolation of the other. This should include the allowable annual cut determination.
Local log market
One writer proposes the establishment of a local log market to help local processors obtain logs at fair prices and thus encourage the local processing industry.
Timber sales
Two issues are raised around local timber sales:
1. too few Small Business Forest Enterprise Program sales have been advertised
2. two forest industry submissions ask the chief forester to make Section 16.1(b) sales (Small Business Forest Enterprise Program take-back volumes) available for local processing
Consensus position
One letter to the chief forester represents an island-wide consensus position for all organized and unorganized communities, planning commissions and the Council of the Haida Nation. It makes two requests of the chief forester:
1. lower the allowable annual cut for the timber supply area to a sustainable level within three years
2. do not include the 14 "protected areas" in the calculation of the long-term harvest level for this Timber Supply Review
Local jobs/local processing/value-added
Thirty-two letters raise the topic of jobs for island residents. The majority of these writers ask that a higher proportion of the cut be made available to local loggers and processors. Also, some respondents note that the major licensee, Husby Forest Products, does not employ as many island residents per cubic metre of wood harvested as local logging and milling companies.
Writers suggest that stumpage incentives are required to encourage companies to employ local people and to help local companies obtain the licences needed to keep their processing facilities working.
One writer suggests the granting of tenures should consider local employment. O’Brien & Fuerst Logging urges the chief forester to consider local jobs and community stability. It, along with another writer, cites the decline in the firm’s employment from 53, in 1994, to 20 employees at the time of writing. The short-term outlook is also said to be bleak.
Nine writers ask for an increase in value-added manufacturing on the islands. One suggests the highest value wood should not leave the islands but be fully processed in local facilities. Another respondent from the general public proposes that incentives be provided to encourage more local processing. O’Brien and Fuerst Logging, along with Eagle Crest Enterprises, cautions against providing incentives for local processors. They suggest instead that local value-added processing might be encouraged by making available small parcels through competitive bidding.
Community control/community stability
Many respondents mention great frustration over past ministry decisions regarding timber supply and timber opportunities.
Ten writers, representing a cross-section of respondents, urge the chief forester to establish a locally based organization to manage the timber supply area. This "community resource board" could work in any of a variety of ways, but would represent local interest better than the ministry has in the past. Most writers support a system of co-management with the ministry, while one writer recommends disbanding the ministry altogether.
Twenty-eight writers, representing a wide range of interests except major licensees, urge the chief forester to consider apportionment along with the allowable annual cut decision. All apportionment discussions concern the issue of a dwindling timber supply—especially in high-value old growth—and the ongoing need for local jobs and community stability. Most writers are optimistic that, given the reallocation of a reduced cut, local communities and operators could thrive. To achieve this, however, they recommend the following actions:
1. buy out or eliminate the large Husby Forest Products quota
2. maintain or increase the Small Business Forest Enterprise Program cut
3. apportion timber to companies on the basis of hiring locally and supporting the local economy
4. create small, locally controlled tree farm licences
5. establish more woodlot licences
Closely tied to the recommendations for local control and apportioning the cut is the recommendation that a large part of the cut go to local processors. It is noted that if local processors can gain access to a steady supply of timber, more local employment and greater community stability can be achieved.
Workshops
Two community workshops were held to encourage input into the Timber Supply Review process.
1. Share the Rock Society
Share the Rock Society hosted the workshop "Forest Management and the Public-An Evolving Process," in January, 1994. The one-day workshop included a morning plenary session with five speakers and a roundtable discussion in the afternoon. Off-island speakers focussed on ways to maintain or increase the allowable annual cut. They spoke of experiences in other communities and timber supply areas. They suggested that preservationists and faulty inventory data were the main issues leading to reduced allowable annual cuts.
Speakers representing the local logging and processing community spoke of the need for local control, timber for local processing, fair treatment for local companies and the need to reduce the export of raw logs.
An IWA spokesperson addressed the need for retraining displaced forest workers.
2. Global Links Society
On March 4, 1995, the Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii Global Links Society held a workshop entitled "Toward a Community Vision for the Queen Charlotte Timber Supply Area." More than 60 individuals participated in the day-long workshop and 32 personal visions, developed during the workshop, were submitted to the Timber Supply Review with the proceedings.
Six panelists, representing the Forest Service, local environmental interests, the Queen Charlotte Islands Independent Forestry Association, and the Forestry Branch of the Council of the Haida Nations, spoke and answered questions during the morning plenary session. The delegates broke into small working groups in the afternoon and developed personal visions for management of the Queen Charlotte Timber Supply Area. The main thrust of the personal visions were:
a) local control or co-management of the forest resource (local resource board)
b) equal access to timber for local operators and mills (competitive bidding)
c) immediate reduction to the long-term harvest level
d) generation of maximum value from every cubic metre of wood harvested (do more with same/less).
