ridgemont logging……

[edwin]

can anyone tell me why the thrashing of the side-hill (sidewinder trail) along the ridge above town just for a few logs? purpose?
its disgusting to do such a bloody thing near town and ON such prime hiking/biking trails.

let me know, ok?
thanks

[snowangel]

pine beetles – if they don’t get on this asap you won’t have any of your prime biking and hiking trails at all. is that so disgusting now????

[griz-boy]

Pine beetles fly right? So why would logging be proactive? It seems like a battle against nature that can’t be won by the logging industry.

[username]

The forests up ridgemont would normally be comprised of more tree variety and a more varied composition of tree ages. However, due to the Fernie Fire 100 years ago , the stands are very uniform in age and species resulting in an expansive landscape of prime beetle habitat.
Also, epidemics do not “destroy” the forests. True, large amounts of trees die as a result of beetles, but new growth rapidly appears below the dead stands. This is nature’s way of breaking up uniform stands into ones that are more varied in composition, structure and age – a more natural forest condition.

The way to fight pine beetle is as follows ;
-Allowing natural processes to prevail (i.e. do nothing);
-Pheromone baits and traps;
-Individual tree fall and burn on-site;
-Large-scale prescribed burn; and
-Skid pile and burn on-site with low impact machinery.

I don’t think they are fighting pine beetle up ridgemont. I think they are thinning out the “pecker poles” so the finer species can thrive. In another 7 years they will thin it again, and then in ten or so years it will be clear cut again.

[snowangel]

it’s forestry that directs the loggers as to where to log to keep the infestations under control. they work together on these matters. so what you perceive as nasty stripping of the forests is actually regulated and condusive to our lodgepole pine. they can control it. try typing in pine beetle infestations british columbia into google.ca or something – there is tons of info on it.

[edwin]

so what you are tellin me….

is that the plow trail that has ruined a prime bike trail just to harvest a few measily trees along the ridge is gonna stop the pine beetle? thats the cure? what about ALL those trees between there and the backs of the home in Ridgemont? are all those trees free of bugs? come on! really?!

log ’em all or make sense!

[username]

1. They are not trying to stop the pine beetle. They are thinning trees.
2.Thats Tembec’s land. They will do what is needed to help grow their cut block to the fullest potential. Even if it means cutting through some bike trail. You are on there land…To me it is pretty ovious that in 10 years or so, they are gonna clear cut that block again anyways.

[snowangel]

it’s appalling that prime bike trails are more of a concern than the environment. they can be just as damaging.

[username]

That is suck a good point… I know of at least 3 bike trails that have destroyed good elk habitat. Which in return, hurts the coyotes, wolves, cougers…. etc. etc. In some cases it is not the trail specifically that hurts the elk…it’s the fact that elk avoid people. When a zillion people are riding the trails.. the elk stay away.

[griz-boy]

Maybe our Elk will evolve into Banff Elk and charge at unsuspecting tourists. Only that this is not a National park and people will shot the shit out of them.

and

Mountain bike trails are not more of a environmental concern then logging. And if you do think that you are:

a: employed by the forest industry and brainwash yourself into thinking you are doing good for the enviroment so you can wake up every morning and go to work

b: all of the above

[snowangel]

how about

c: none of the above

and buddy…do you can’t just go mowing down elk – it’s called tags…you purchase them…then you hunt during a designated season.

why so down on the forest industry anyway? who’s brainwashed?

[sparkes]

.

[snowangel]

AMEN TO THAT SPARKES!

couldn’t have said it better myself.

the loss of one measly bike trail gets people going when we’ve had to put up with ugly atrocities like riverside and ghostrider crossing among other things????? it’s ludicrous. you definately said it right when you mentioned out people think that what’s best for them is best for the environment.

[griz-boy]

Yeah so. I am not going to deny that my lifestyle is pro opinionated to my environmental concerns. So yeah other peoples opinions can be funny like yours.

And I really really think logging has much more environment impact than a trail. Per km there are more logging roads then trail in the elk valley. So why would a single track trail be less environmentally friendly than logging roads that are used by combustable engines, 1 tons, machinery, tractor trailers etc. Not to mention the waste, inefficiencies and destruction that is involved in logging versus a trail that gets maybe a season and half use. I just don’t see your argument.

People did bitch about Ghost Rider Crossing and Riverside. How could you develop anything in Fernie without an opposition. Take Timber chair for example that was a secret backcountry spot for people to ski, develop a high-speed quad for access and all is gone. And that is skiers opposing skiable terrain.

And its more like 1 of 75 trails.

[username]

Clear cuts actually help the animals. They create tons of new grasses and other fresh greens. In an old growth forest, the large trees block out the needed light killing any new green growth on the ground. Deer, bears, elk, etc. etc. need this new growth to survive. In the high country these animals depend on avalanches to clear large areas of land for new green growth, but. . . any clearing such as a clear cut. . with do.. Forest Fires also do the same sort of thing.. Now sure the bike trails seem to do less damage, but it is the large amount of people that use them that keep the animals away. Basically displacing the animals. The only reason we even have White Tail Deer in this part of B.C. is due to the heavy logging. The reason we even have these animals around is because willing to destroy other people countries to save our own. Example…….. you can’t grow wool without killing all the preditors around… We’re not willing to kill all our preditors around so we buy wool from other places willing to kill all their preditors…
And what are you doing to protect the animals of B.C.?
I belong to the Rockie Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, buy a hunting licence every year, buy hunting tags every year. Which all helps to access and protect the animals of B.C. Only 12% of people who bought a elk tag last season, got an elk.

[griz-boy]

To move to another topic:

I see more species of animals on Island Lake property than anywhere else around Fernie. Bear, cougar, elk, moose. This shouldn’t make sense with Island Lake being an old growth cedar forest should it? It gets more rubber tire traffic then the mountain bikers riding Hedonism – Dem Bones.

I don’t have an issue with hunting I think it is controlled and limited properly. And the level of education among hunters is at its highest I have even seen. I get this talking to my uncles in Alberta that hunt deer. My problem is you can do all the conservation but it comes down to using a gun to shoot the same animal you are trying to conserve.

[username]

There is lots of animals in the high country at island lake , but have you ever saw elk down low in the last 5 years. Or a Grizzly. Some animals don’t mind people, like I said. Black Bears, Mule Deer, White Tail Deer. But cougers, Grizzly, Elk readily avoid people. And they will adjust they routine to avoid people. They will choose different feeding and bedding grounds. And there is no food where the old growth forest is at Island lake lodge. Thats why the Elk use the Avalanche Chutes. And the Grizzly depend on the clearings also. If you hike up into the Avalanche above Island Lake…thats where all the animals are… The Black Bears are down bellow eating the garbage for the lodge and Fernie Mt. Park. And Moose in indian means “twig eater”. They can stay down bellow and surrvive. Eating mostly woody foods. All the good Moose are up high though.. Griz-Boy…tell me….do you eat meat….?? Do you enjoy letting other people kill the animals you eat.??.

[edwin]

the whole lot of you are mad, and you each have your own adjenda, work history, training and biases.
but sincerely, i thank you all for contributing to this form.

Bravo!

[Author]

Posts