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Beaver Mines Lake

Beaver Mines Lake. Stop Castle Logging. stopcastlelogging.org. Who We Are. We're an ad hoc group of individuals concerned about Spray Lake Sawmills' proposed logging in the Castle. Most of us live in, or near, Pincher Creek, Beaver Mines, or the Crowsnest Pass.

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Beaver Mines Lake

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  1. Beaver Mines Lake

  2. Stop Castle Logging stopcastlelogging.org

  3. Who We Are We're an ad hoc group of individuals concerned about Spray Lake Sawmills' proposed logging in the Castle. Most of us live in, or near, Pincher Creek, Beaver Mines, or the Crowsnest Pass.

  4. Major Issues with the Proposed Logging • Prime Recreational Area–Beaver Mines Lake, Camp Impeesa, Castle Bridge, Castle Falls, Lynx Creek, Syncline Ski Trails, etc • Much of the area to be logged is in the Critical Wildlife Zone (1985 Integrated Resource Plan) • Core Grizzly Bear Habitat as defined in the Province’s GB Recovery Plan • Watershed Protection • Next Areas to be logged before 2016–Gladstone Creek, Mill Creek, and Whitney Creek

  5. Cutblocks North of Hwy 3

  6. Major Issues with the Proposed Logging • ~3750 truckloads of logs rumbling up Hwys 774 and 507 and going through the hamlet of Beaver Mines. • An additional traffic hazard to all area residents, and to skiers going to and from Castle Mountain Resort, and other visitors.

  7. So Why is SRD Allowing Logging Here? • Mainly lodgepole pine. • About 40% would be used for dimensional lumber, the rest for posts and garden mulch. • This would be a highly-mechanized operation with only a few jobs involved. • 7+ hour return trip to their mill in Cochrane. • SLS Admits they will Lose Money on the logging! The Market Rejects this Activity. • Miniscule Return to Provincial Coffers (Probably < $250,000 or $1 per tree to degrade 52 sq km of our Special Place.)

  8. Logging at the base of Crowsnest Mtn.

  9. SRD says the logging is needed for fire protection and pine beetle control. Does this make Sense?

  10. Fire • Clear-cut logging is not a good way to deal with fire hazard. • Since 1934, the major fires in the Castle have all occurred in the most extensively logged drainages. • More logging means more roads which would allow more random campers, campfires, and off-road vehicles into the backcountry. Logging will increase the fire hazard! • The neighbouring Waterton Park controls the fire hazard without resorting to logging. (They can control ignition sources.)

  11. Pine Beetle • Pine beetle has already been through, and it’s not a problem at the moment. • Pine beetles kill pine trees but not forests. Clearcut logging kills forests. • Again, we might look at neighbouring Waterton Park. The pine beetle went through there as well, but it looks just fine now. • Both Fire and Pine Beetle are Economic and Not Biological Justifications.

  12. So Why is SRD so Keen to Log? • To make sure that forestry remains the dominant land use? • Turf Protection? To pre-empt other uses so SRD can retain control of this land base? • It appears that SRD is dominated by foresters and they see forestry as the proper use for a forest. They seem unable or unwilling to look at the other forest attributes—watersheds, wildlife, recreation, tourism. • An Attractive Environment promotes amenity migration which enhances the local economy and property values.

  13. Do you want to see this?

  14. Or this?

  15. Concerned? Contact the following people and let them know how you feel. • Premier Ed Stelmach • Honourable Mel Knight
Minister of Sustainable Resource Development • Mr. Evan Berger
MLA for Livingstone-Macleod • Mr. Gord Lehn
Woodlands Manager, SLS • Honourable Cindy Ady
Minister of Tourism, Parks & Recreation • Your MLA

  16. For Further Information:stopcastlelogging.org

  17. Special Thanks to: Lighthawk http://www.lighthawk.org/

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