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[Merganser]

On April 18, 2005 a request for an Inquiry was placed with the Private Managed Forest Land Council. This request was accompanied by a letter of support from the Egmont Community Club and signed petitions. The request asked that the PMFLC ascertain whether or not Pacific Northwoods Resources Ltd, holder of Managed Forest #320, has upheld and protected the five key environmental values as defined by the government, the Council and the public and which the Council lists on it website. These values are:

Fish & Fish Habitat
Water Quality
Critical Wildlife Habitat
Reforestation
Soil Conservation

As the logging on PNR?s holdings continue, the concern for these environmental values rises. Therefore, it would be both in PNR?s interest and the public?s to have the Council investigate and settle these concerns once and for all.

However, there is an overarching question on this whole issue of PNR?s Managed Forest status. If you visit the ?Managed Forest Program? page on the Council website (http://www.pmflc.ca), a definition is given at the top of that page. It is as follows:

?Managed Forest is a BC Assessment property classification (class 7) established in 1988 to encourage private landowners to manage their lands for long-term forest production.?

Now, if you turn to the letter posted in Documents, written by PNW?s consultant and sent to LWBC on April 27, 2005, we read of development planning activities for their Earle Creek properties but nothing of their long-term forest production plans. In fact, it would seem development is planned from one end of their holdings to the other and if their desires are met will include all of Highland Point if not Egmont Point. According to Mr. Lindros, PNW?s proposed use for the crown lands of Highland Point ?would be addressed in the development plan process for the resort community.? As a villager here pointed out, a ?resort community? is what they call Whistler and is there long-term forest production within Whistler?s boundaries?

So what is Pacific Northwoods Resources (or Pacific North Woods Company) a developer or a forester? Will the Private Managed Forest Land Council be able to solve that issue? Or will PNR get its lower property tax under the managed forest assessment while all other property owners watch their tax rise year after year?