February 21, 2017
Members of the SaveLantzvilleForest will be meeting with our local MLA Michelle Stilwell at her Parksville constituency office on March 10. We are thankful to have this opportunity and look forward to having a good conversation about how to increase protection within the woodlot. The Minister of Forests Steve Thomson has indicated that the woodlot could be purchased. However,we have already explored this option with the license holder and potential supporters but this possibility doesnt look feasible and doesnt guarantee increased protection.
Last year we spoke with the Deputy Minister Craig Sutherland and he indicated that ideally Woodlots should only have a small negative impact on local communities and be “low key”. This is no longer the case in our community and our views are supported by District councillors and the majority of residents. Our petition with thousands of hand drawn signatures and addresses attests to the fact that we enjoy a lot of support.
We wish to present a plan that enhances the preservation of the most important ecological and recreational areas within the woodlot. Many locals wish to entirely end logging in the woodlot but is there a compromise solution that is better than the status quo? Can we find come up with a scenario whereby the majority of us feel represented and satisfied instead of only a few?
We shall explore all possibilities and keep you posted. Wish us luck!
save lantzville forest 
Hi Niels, Further to my emails to you over the last week or so, I received the information I requested from Forestry last week and will be going over it shortly. Some if it may be useful in preparing some options to discuss with the Minister.
Let me know if you want to discuss it with me, and also, who specifically is meeting with the Minister?
Thanks.
Max
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Hi Max, I will be attending as well as Ted Gullison PhD of hg-llc.com and Derek Riley and a fourth has been invited.
Happy document reviewing!
Hopefully we can meet up for coffee later next week.
Best, Niels
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Yes lets meet next week Niels. I have some thoughts on the meeting with Stilwell, and experience in dealing with Ministers, briefings, and making presentations. I might have some useful thoughts on how to structure and make an effective presentation. I am not working at present so let me now some times that work for you.
Max
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Hi Max, had a crazy week with too many 24 hr shifts. Are you free to meet at around 1:30 this coming Tuesday ? I am trying to coordinate a meeting with the other members attending the meeting with Michele Stilwell.
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HI Niels. I have a commitment that afternoon but the morning us open and so is Wednesday. Monday works too.
I might be busy from 12 to 4 on Thursday but the rest of that day is open. And Friday is open. Looking forward to meeting you.
Max
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Hi Niels. Further to my reply yesterday I can meet any time on Thursday, and after 4 on Tuesday or Tuesday morning, if that helps with your schedule. The other times are still open as well. Thanks. Max
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Hi Max, let’s meet at Riso this Wednesday at 5:30 if that ok with you.
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Thanks Niels. See you at 530 Wednesday at Risos.
Max
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I would hope that a local representative group will be meeting with the Minister on this matter. There is a degree of local expertise available on the subject and I hope these folks will be included in a meeting. We must not give up the fight to have this area designated a protected wildlife and recreational (hiking, biking) area. One would think that if the district can come up with funds to build a skateboard park and to hire multiple numbers of ‘planners’, then they can come up with a way to buy this land back from the logging company.
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Dear all, on Monday night, September 11, 7-? PM, the Lantzville Council will debate the following motion at the District office (7192 Lantzville Road):
“That the District of Lantzville send a letter to the Honourable Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Land and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, stating the District of Lantzville Council(DOL) supports the Proposal for the Creation of the Knarston Creek Forest Corridor in Woodlot 1475 as authored by Ted Gullison, Derek Riley, Glen Dunsworth and Niels Schwarz;
And that the District of Lantzville Council will consider a level of compensation, in partnership with other funders including but not limited to the Province of British Columbia, to the current licensee of Woodlot 1475 for the reduction in timber harvest to establish the ‘Knarston Creek Forest Corridor’ as outlined in the Proposal for the Creation of the Knarston Creek Forest Corridor.”
The basis of the proposal is for the forest to remain as a working woodlot, but to increase the amount of forest protected from logging by another c. 60 ha. This would create a wider recreational corridor along Knarston Creek (the heart of the woodlot), and increase the protection of some stands of the most endangered types of Coastal Douglas Fir. While this proposal falls short of complete protection of the woodlot, we feel that it represents the greatest amount of reduction in logging that will be acceptable to the provincial government.
It is important to show council that Lantzville residents strongly support greater protection of Copley Ridge. We have a once in a lifetime chance to protect mature globally endangered forest right on our doorsteps. Once logged, the forest that regrows will be like a plantation, composed of single species even-aged young stands, rather than the diverse old forest that supports many threatened species and that still occupies much of the woodlot. This forest is worth much more to society in terms of its cultural, recreational, and biodiversity values than it is turned into pulp and lumber. Help us try to conserve as much as we can.
The proposal is attached below. Please feel free to contact Niels Schwarz (250) 616-6275, Ted Gullison (250) 618-0754, or Derek Riley (250) 741-4844 if you have any questions. We hope to see you Monday night. If you cannot make this meeting, please send an email of support to the Mayor and councillors. Their contact info is available at: http://www.lantzville.ca/cms.asp?wpID=465
MLA Michelle Stilwell has volunteered to raise the proposal with the new Minister of Forests later this month. Support from our DOL will help her make a good case for enhancing protection.
Please feel free to forward this email and attachments to others. A good turn out and show of support would go a long way!
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Thanks so much Niel for the update here and for your great ongoing work on this important issue on behalf of all of us here who want to preserve and enhance it. It makes me so sad to see the logging destruction up there that I can barely go there any more. It looks more and more like a ‘moon scape’ every time. I have signed the petition and hope the meeting with the Min brings some sort of solution forward. We do appreciate all of your hard work. Cheri and Wayne
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