Tenures Almost Finalized for Slocan Valley and Nakusp Community Forest Groups by Jan Mcmurray Forestry Co-Operative (Sifco)
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January 31, 2007 The Valley Voice Volume 16, Number 2 January 31, 2007 Delivered to every home between Edgewood, Kaslo & South Slocan. Published bi-weekly. “Your independently-owned regional community newspaper serving the Arrow Lakes, Slocan & North Kootenay Lake Valleys.” Tenures almost finalized for Slocan Valley and Nakusp community forest groups by Jan McMurray Forestry Co-operative (SIFCo). Springer Creek’s chart was potentially consider the structure, division of Hamling indicated that council would The Slocan Valley community The Nakusp group has picked up contentious because there are domestic profits, and alternative financing if CBT discuss these and then meet with the forest group sent in its application for the fairly large Box-Summit area from water sources up there, but did not see funding does not come through. Mayor group. a Community Forest Agreement on BCTS. This is near the group’s biggest it “as a huge bone of contention unless January 18, and the Nakusp group is chunk from Springer Creek, in the we manage it poorly.” aiming to submit its application on McDonald Creek area. Other areas from Nielsen reported that the Ministry or before June 15. BCTS are small and include chunks was to deliver the results of the area Stephan Martineau, near East Arrow Park, Wilson Lake, the volume allotment by the end of spokesperson for the Slocan Valley hot springs (Kuskanax), and Fosthall February, and then the areas would be group, is confident of success. “We and Galena Bay further north. finalized. He said the group would have believe the application meets or Jesper Nielsen of the Nakusp a meeting to discuss the transition exceeds the requirements, so we community forest group updated agreement with the two current don’t anticipate any surprises,” he council on the group’s progress at the licencees, Springer Creek and BCTS, said. January 23 council meeting. He and would hold a public meeting where He says the group expects to hear presented maps of the takeover areas people could view the Business and back from the Ministry in the spring that have been agreed to in principle. Management Plans. and hopes to begin operations in the Council asked about the area near the Nielsen said the profit margin fall. hot springs, because the Village has been looked good and the group was hoping Both the Slocan Valley and advised to protect the land surrounding to get $271,000 in start-up funding from Nakusp groups were initially invited the springs from development. Nielsen Columbia Basin Trust. This amount to apply for CFAs with a volume said the wood was not of good quality represents the costs of 3-5 years of allotment of 10,000 cubic metres. in that area and that logging there would development. Nielsen said it would be Based on that, both went through the be expensive. “It’s so little volume that preferable to start with this much, but process of identifying operating areas it’s no big deal if we don’t log it,” he that they could “get by” with about 1/3 from Springer Creek Forest Products assured. He also mentioned that the of that. tenure. From early on, it was known Wilson area had been cut over and The group’s preference for its that there was a possibility for a would be “good in about 60 years.” organizational stucture is to set up a second 10,000 cubic metres from BC All in all, though, Nielsen was corporation wholly owned by the Timber Sales (BCTS) tenure for each happy with the areas and acknowledged Village. The other two options would group. That became a reality last fall, that “for the most part, we’re getting off be for the Village to share ownership and both groups have recently pretty easy in terms of contentious with the RDCK or to set up a non-profit Natalie Lucas was the recipient of a Prime Minster’s Award for Excellence in reached agreement in principle with stuff.” He said the Wensley area from society. Nielsen asked council to Early Childhood Education. Making the presentation is MP Alex Atamanenko. BCTS on their additional takeover areas. They are both now waiting for Grand opening of new Selkirk College in Nakusp their area volume allotments, like a by Jan McMurray mentioned the staff at the Nakusp Other speakers included Marilyn current ABE student. timber supply analysis, for the new The Grand Opening of Nakusp’s Centre – Richard Allin, ABE instructor Luscombe, President of Selkirk There was a big round of applause areas from the Ministry. new Selkirk College building on since 1981; Chris Faint, Co-ordinator College; Founding board member Glen for Selkirk College maintenance staff, The Slocan Valley group, January 25 was a celebration of a since 1985; and Allison Alder, ABE Weatherhead; Chris Faint, Nakusp who did the renovations. The building anticipating the invitation for the building transformed into not just a instructor since 1991. She also brought Selkirk College Co-ordinator; Allison represents over a half-million dollar second 10,000 cubic metres, had wonderful new space for the college, greetings from MLA Corky Evans. Alder, ABE teacher; and Jessica Hogg, investment for the college. shown the areas it wanted from but also a symbol of Selkirk College’s BCTS on the map it distributed to commitment to Nakusp. residents from Silverton to Winlaw The event was very well attended. last fall. “We ended up with what we Local musicians Wren, her daughter wanted,” reported Martineau. All the Alexis, Liz O’Neil and DJ Wright areas on the map were successfully performed, and there were several negotiated, except the Lemon Creek speakers. Sharon McNeill, alumni chunk. So, the very-near-to-finalized student of Nakusp Selkirk College chart area looks like three chunks: ABE, had the crowd riveted when she Pedro/Winlaw/Trozzo; an area told her story of growing up at Halfway between Lemon and Springer Creeks, Reserve, becoming a working mother and an area between Enterprise and in Nakusp and the journey she went Silverton Creeks. through to go to Selkirk College’s ABE The application submitted in program. She went on to get her law January does not include the second degree at UBC, to assist her with her 10,000 cubic metres. Martineau says life mission to help aboriginal people. the group will send in an amendment “Education is your own key. It is a gift to the application to reflect the you can use to serve others,” she said. additional tenure, probably by mid- New Denver’s Bill Roberts, who March. “We won’t have to do much is the newest Selkirk College board tweaking,” assured Martineau. member and will be replacing the The Slocan Valley group’s current chair, spoke about the college registration as a co-operative came as a truly regional institute, serving the through just before Christmas, he community from Grand Forks to reported, so the group is now Nakusp and Kaslo. Chris Faint, Richard Allin, Glen Weatherhead, Allison Alder and Renata Neftin cut the cake at the grand officially the Slocan Valley Integral Nakusp Mayor Hamling opening of Nakusp’s new Selkirk College building. COUNTRY FURNITURE & HOME DECOR Looking for something out of the ordinary? Country Furniture & Home Decor, 115 Hall St. Nelson, Toll-Free 1-866-352-3665 2 NEWS The Valley Voice January 31, 2007 Glacier/Howser hydro project at environmental assessment stage by Jan McMurray road to convey the water from the concern and scientists simply do not designed and built wind farms and small embassy in Ottawa. Axor owns the The environmental assessment intakes to the powerhouses, but that had know what is going to happen to the and medium hydro projects in Quebec. numbered company (3986314 Canada process is underway for the Glacier/ too much impact. “We always try to glaciers. He said most of the water for It has also completed major construction Inc.) which is the project’s development Howser run of river hydro development have minimal impact on the the project does not come from glaciers. projects such as building the US company. up in the Lardeau/Duncan. Project surrounding environment,” he said. “The project has 40 years so hopefully proponents expect to submit their After doing a flyover of the area, the glaciers don’t run out until we’ve at environmental report to the the company has a new plan for the path least paid the bills,” he said. “This is a Environmental Assessment Office in of the transmission line. The 91.5-km- $240 million investment. We wouldn’t September. long overhead transmission line that will make this investment unless we thought Neil and Sean Murphy of Glacier service both power stations will cross we would get it back.” He also pointed Power BC, the father and son team who the Purcell mountain range at Edouard out that there are hydro sites in BC that envisioned this hydro project, along Pass and interconnect to the Invermere have been running since the early 1900s. with Nelson environmental consultants BC Hydro substation. The overhead line Director Dooley asked about the Sylvie Mass and Eric Miller, and several mainly follows the Howser Creek and local economic impact of the project. other representatives of the project Horsethief Valleys. Total line capacity Murphy said that all construction would attended the RDCK board meeting on will be 150 MW at 230 kV. be done by local companies, and that January 27. Project Manager Alex The previous plan was to tunnel the he considered the highly skilled Stoian made a presentation to the board. transmission line through Jumbo Kootenay work force as a big asset.