BFWSS submission on Woodlot License #1769 Plan

To: Atlas Information Management

Greetings John and Hannah,

Thank you for your invitation to comment on the woodlot plan noted above.

Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society is an organization of local concerned citizens for the conservation and appropriate protection of all forest resource values that contribute to a safe and enduring habitat for all. Rural British Columbians depend heavily on their surrounding forests to provide their necessities for a good life.

This means forest harvesters and managers must recognize the resource values of forests beyond simply timber supply and revenues. Woodlot Licencees are in a unique position to apply a gentle hand upon the land so as not to deplete or degrade resources entrusted to them. These tenures offer a great opportunity to demonstrate forest management that protect and enhances the forest. This can be achieved successfully through partial cut harvesting systems.

This is a primary concern. Clearcut logging is destroying many resource values particularly associated with aquatic systems. The Kettle River is endangered by high and lows flows that can be traced back to vegetation removal over the watershed.

Here are a few specifics that concern us:

• P. 6 – Ungulate Winter Range does not define where.
• P. 7 Fisheries Sensitive Watersheds. Local knowledge confirms to us that July Creek is a fish bearing stream.
• P. 9 Interest Groups/ Infrastructure Stakeholders. We request that Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society be added to this section.
• P. 15 Individual Wildlife Trees – These sections seem to give every possible reason for not protecting a IWT. This is disturbing. We should be looking for every possible reason to protect a IWT.
• We believe the power line would possibly be owned by Fortis.

Thank you,

Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society, Board of Directors