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[Merganser]

Greetings,

On Tuesday, May 10, 2005 Trevor Swan, Chair of the Private Managed Forest Land Council and Council member Don Avis, met with members of the Egmont Community Club Executive and FOE spokesperson Anita Horovenko in Egmont.

It was learned that on Wednesday, April 27, 2005 the Council conducted an aerial inspection by helicopter of all PNR holdings. As well, a limited ground inspection was conducted of certain key sites. It was also learned that the Council officially began its regulatory duties on August 4, 2004 and any logging that occurred during the Council?s phase-in period before that date was outside the Council?s jurisdiction. The majority of PNR?s logging occurred during that phase-in period; however, logging roads used to get to post August 4th logging would fall under Council regulations. It was pointed out the Council must interpret regulations narrowly and that managed forest regulations are quite different in key areas from those that apply to forest tenure on crown lands. For those interested in reviewing PMFLC regulations and the applicable Acts, visit this web page:

http://www.pmflc.ca/legislation.html (note effective dates)

Mr. Swan says the Council will prepare a final report when it receives PNR?s ?Annual Declaration? which is required by law but is overdue (May 1 deadline for the period Jan 1, 2004 ? December 31, 2004) and when PNR submits additional information requested by the Council. In the meantime, the aerial and ground inspections showed no problems with road construction and no sign of soil erosion on slopes or into creeks. In fact, the soil here is ideal from a logging standpoint.

In sum, while we may find this logging ugly and offensive there is no law against ugly and offensive. As well, it must be realized that what is required by law on crown land is different than what is required on private land; and, an astute logger and businessman with private managed forest land status would know the laws that must govern his actions as well as know who is responsible for enforcing those laws and when that enforcement would come into play.

Friends of Egmont

(This update was held back briefly as we were aware that the Private Managed Forest Land Council was meeting on Wednesday, May 11 and if any additional information was forth coming we wanted to include it in this update. An e-mail received from PMFLC Executive Director, Stuart Macpherson, on May 18 says any information they require has formally been requested from Pacific Northwoods Resources Ltd., and that the reinvestigation report of our inquiry has been reviewed by Council and the follow-up is being handled by Mr. Swan. We have not heard from Mr. Swan as yet.)