June 17 2024 – Minister of Forests Bruce Raulston (NDP MLA Surrey-Whalley) has rejected the petition to Save Cai Creek. A final total of 450 signatures were submitted to the government from residents of Castlegar, Trail, Nelson, Rossland and Fruitvale.
Here is the text of the response from the Minister of Forests:
Thank you for your note of April 23, 2024, and the accompanying petition signatures regarding BC Timber Sales planning and development of Timber Sale Licence TA2185 in the Cai Creek area. This response acknowledges and confirms that the petition has been received.
Sustainable forest management that supports ecosystem health and intact watersheds is a high priority for BC Timber Sales and the rest of the Ministry of Forests. This commitment is backed up by several key facts.
Although the Cai Creek watershed contains an Old Growth Management Area (OGMA) and Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) polygons mapped as “ancient, remnant” old growth and/or “big-treed”, the BC Timber Sales proposed development area itself does not contain any OGMA and/or TAP old growth polygons.
Nor has TA2185 been identified by Ministry of Forests professionals as an area requiring protection, as there are no trees within this proposed Timber Sale Licence that meet the Special Tree Regulation. However, the harvest plan and prescription that are being developed will reserve older large-diameter trees from cutting.
Cai Creek’s largest diameter ponderosa pine, fondly referred to as Lieutenant Dan, is outside the proposed harvest area and reserved from harvesting. Lieutenant Dan and the area around this large ponderosa pine are protected in compliance with the Special Tree Regulation.
This BC Timber Sales upcoming opportunity is being developed with professional expertise and guidance to balance multiple resource values. Qualified professionals in forest hydrology, biology, and geoscience have conducted a preliminary watershed assessment, elk habitat management assessment, and terrain stability assessments in accordance with the approved Forest Stewardship Plan.
Finally, it is important to keep in mind the economic benefits that BC Timber Sales provides to the local forest sector and the Province of British Columbia. Responsible harvest proposals, like the one being discussed, are very important to the local mills and their workers while providing environmentally friendly building materials and provincial revenues to the province.
May 15 2024 – A total of 390 signatures to Save Cai Creek were submitted to the Province of BC on May 1 2024! Signatures were collected over just 12 days from April 19 to April 30. Thanks to everyone that signed and helped collect signatures. Stay tuned for more updates!
The petition text:
To the Honourable the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, in Legislature Assembled: The petition of the undersigned, residents of the Province of British Columbia, of the City of Castlegar, surrounding communities, and other communities within the Province of British Columbia, states that:
Cai Creek is a 70-80% intact watershed as identified by the Old Growth Technical Advisory Panel. The Cai Creek watershed is a biodiverse forest
with some of the largest Ponderosa Pine in British Columbia, including our largest Ponderosa Pine, nicknamed “Lieutenant Dan”. BC Timber Sales is planning to sell an approximately 55 hectare cutblock in Cai Creek in December 2024, the harvest of which would irreversibly disrupt the ecological integrity and resilience of the Cai Creek watershed and is contrary to the Old Growth Technical Advisory Panel recommendation to defer harvest in the most intact watersheds.
Your petitioners respectfully request that the Honourable House:
Immediately cease the advertising and planned sale of the TA2185-3 harvest plan by BC Timber Sales and defer all harvest within the Cai Creek watershed boundaries, as identified by the Freshwater Atlas (Named Watershed ID 5708).
PDF of the petition:
Last updated: May 15 2024
Save Cai Creek 