Opportunity is Created
| October, 1992, saw Westar Timber negotiate the sale of the remaining TFL area, as well as a sawmill in Malakwa and other cutting rights, to Evans Forest Products Ltd., a plywood and sawmilling firm based in Golden. A new review panel was struck to examine the proposed transfer of harvesting rights. |  |
Revelstoke opposed the proposed transfer. During a four-hour public hearing in Revelstoke, almost 500 people packed the community centre auditorium to hear representatives for the city, the local forest industry, environmental groups, the business community and the recreation sector tell the panel why the Ministry had to reject the proposed transfer. Most of the criticism echoed the message from the previous meeting - giving control of a large amount of forestland in the Revelstoke area to an out-of-town company with no guarantees for local processing of the timber was not acceptable. In mid-December the government rejected the proposal largely because of the ‘strong case’ presented by Revelstoke that the proposed transfer did not meet the economic and social needs of the three communities involved - Revelstoke, Golden and Malakwa. The forest industry outside the community was very concerned that, for the first time in the history of the province, the government had denied a proposed transfer of cutting rights between companies because economic and social needs would not be met. In its report, the review panel recommended the Ministry consider a variety of alternatives such as allocating the area to create a log market or creating a community controlled forest. It further recommended that, at a minimum, 50 per cent of the allowable annual cut from TFL 55 would have to allocated to a community forest proposal suggested by Revelstoke if this venture was to be viable. This presented a unique opportunity for the City to act on its commitment to ‘local control of local resources’ by becoming actively involved in the timber industry. It was felt by some Revelstokians that by creating a community forest ‘We could do a better job of forest management, protect local forestry and processing employment and ensure security for the future.’ A whirlwind of activity was necessary before this opportunity became a reality. | |
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