DADS OF THE KOOTENAYS SINCE 1947

CASTLEGAR

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@ OUR PEOPLE

Some may think dropping
out of school means new found
freedom. However, for Mike
Dunlop it was a waste of pre-
cious time and now that he has
returned to school he is much

happier.
page 9

The Stanley Humphries se-
nior boys basketball team
thrilled the home fans when
they made it to the final of their
own toumament Saturday. Un-
fortunately for the Rockers, the
thrills ended there.

page 13

Country music is as popular
as it has ever been. And if your
vocal chords are up to snuff a
few songs could be your ticket
to Hamilton and $10,000 in
prize money. Talent search
1993 is on its way.

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STORY BOOK ENDING

B.C

Wednesday

February 3, 1993

News photo by Neil Rachynski

Storytime was a big hit last Thursday at the Castlegar and District Public Library. Chief librarian Judy Wearmouth entertained
children with her patented flair for telling tales and spinning yams.

Forest practices under microscope

Neil Rachynski
NEWS REPORTER

Forest industry ethics are being investigated in the West
Kootenay.

Following a fact-finding mission to the Arrow Forest Dis-
trict, the Association of B.C. Professional Foresters has called
for a formal investigation of registered foresters in the area.

A news release issued Tuesday states, “recent allegations
of harvesting on public forests lands without adequate ap-
proval, and the subsequent province-wide audit of PHSPs by
the Ministry of Forests has led to questions about the conduct
of Registered Professional Foresters with regard to these
events.”

Pre-harvest Silviculture Prescriptions, or PHSPs, were in-
troduced by the government in 1988. A legal document, PH-
SPs outline the commitments and objectives foresters must
make before logging a block of land: It also prescribes how the
land will be managed and regenerated.

The Arrow Forest District, which must approve all PHSPs,
recently stated that 56 silviculture prescriptions were invalid.

ABCPF executive vice-president Bruce Devitt would not
disclose what the committee discovered during its pre-screen-
ing visit to the area. He said witnesses will be called and that
it’s “not good protocol” to discuss the specifics of the findings.

Devitt would only say that there was enough material to

merit a formal investigation.

“We’re not on a witch hunt,” Devitt said. “We just want to
get to the bottom of it.”

The mandate of the ABCPF is not to investigate either the
Ministry of Forests or the foresters and whether the cutting
was performed illegally. Rather, the association will determine
if any forest companies acted unprofessionally or if they were
put “in an untenable position.

“We either expel, censure or reprimand,” Devitt said.

Under current guidelines, he said the association cannot
impose conditions or fines.

The investigation is scheduled to be complete in June.

The director of New Denver’s Valhalla Society said she is
pleased the ABCPF will launch an investigation. Anne Sher-
rod said it is a very significant move by the association.

“(The ABCPF) have been greatly criticized in the past. This
seems like a move to restore their credibility, which is good,”
Sherrod said.

A source close to the industry, who asked to remain uniden-
tified, said PHSPs are a convenient rubber stamp for logging.

“Most PHSPs have enough ‘ifs’ ‘ands’ and ‘buts’ to drive a
logging truck through,” the source said. “(The Ministry of
Forests) have field technicians with very little field experi-
ence.”

Spokespersons from the Arrow Forest District were un-
available for comment.

MINISTERS GLEN CLARK AND ROBIN BLENCOE GATHER IN CASTLEGAR, PAGE 3