An Alberta organization has been protesting for over six weeks against a forestry company’s proposal to log a significant area of trees in the Crowsnest Pass.
Members of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes oppose West Fraser’s plan to accelerate the logging of approximately 460 hectares of forest in the Allison Creek vicinity, located in southwest Alberta near the Alberta-British Columbia border.
The group argues that residents of Crowsnest Pass deserve substantial protection against wildfires, but they raise concerns about whether the proposed logging is the appropriate method, executed in the right location and at the right scale.
Colin Smith, a community organizer for Defenders of the Eastern Slopes, mentioned that community support has increased since group members began camping on-site to raise awareness about the impending harvest.
Members of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes gather around a fire on Tuesday. (Avery Woods/CBC)
“We’re gaining traction with our message that a new vision is necessary for managing the forests of the Eastern Slopes,” Smith stated to CBC News.
The Defenders of the Eastern Slopes are urging the Alberta government to implement laws that would safeguard the Eastern Slopes with special protections and management strategies.
“We need long-term, intergenerational thinking that prioritizes water for the next century,” Smith added.
Group claims to be engaging in peaceful civil disobedience
Smith indicated that the members of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes are working to slow West Fraser’s operations, but they are doing so in a peaceful and non-violent manner.
He noted that they had successfully blocked a bridge in a meadow from being relocated three times.
West Fraser subsequently obtained a temporary injunction, and with police oversight, moved the bridge, which the company is placing over Allison Creek to access a logging site.
“We weren’t engaging in any violent actions; we were peaceful but simply hindering the bridge’s progress,” Smith stated.
The court injunction permits West Fraser to continue its operations, and Smith affirmed that the group intends to refrain from obstructing the company.
Sgt. Mark Amatto, the commander of Crowsnest Pass RCMP, mentioned that both the RCMP and conservation officers have been conducting regular patrols to ensure that both Defenders of the Eastern Slopes and West Fraser are acting appropriately.
He added that the atmosphere at the site has remained calm.
West Fraser’s response
In a statement to CBC News, West Fraser indicated that its planned logging operations by Allison Creek are in line with the Alberta government’s Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction (CHFR) program.
This program was created to assist in protecting communities from wildfire risks by guiding forest companies to prioritize fuel reduction efforts near high-risk areas.
The Defenders of the Eastern Slopes have been protesting for six weeks against the planned logging of approximately 460 hectares of forest in the Crowsnest Pass. (Avery Woods/CBC)
The company claims that Alberta has a “robust” regulatory framework that includes stipulations for forestry companies during logging operations, addressing environmentally sensitive areas and water sources.
“West Fraser is dedicated to conducting the work in Allison Creek with the utmost environmental standards and in full compliance with all regulatory mandates. Our planning includes monitoring conditions prior to and following harvest to ensure responsible stewardship,” the statement read.
West Fraser also noted that it had commissioned an independent review to assess the hydrological effects of the proposed CHFR harvest.
“The review indicated that the planned harvest would minimally impact the Allison Creek area, which would be further reduced as the forest regenerates,” the company stated.
“Importantly, considering the necessity of protecting aquatic habitats in Allison Creek, the hydrological assessment predicts relatively minor changes in streamflow.”
‘Timely wildfire risk reduction’
Alberta Forestry and Parks, in a statement to CBC News, mentioned that the Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program was established following a wildfire risk evaluation of over 200 communities within Alberta’s forest protection area.
“The communities in the Allison Creek area have been prioritized, and the ongoing work will provide timely wildfire risk mitigation for the Tecumseh community and the municipality of Crowsnest Pass,” the department stated.
During an interview with CBC News on Wednesday, Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen explained that West Fraser would primarily be removing spruce and pine, the two types of trees most susceptible to fire, to enhance community protection against wildfires.
Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen states that logging in the Crowsnest Pass will aid in safeguarding the community from wildfires. (Jamie McCannel/CBC)
“That fire won’t spread as rapidly or reach as great a height without fuel on the landscape,” Loewen remarked at the legislature on Wednesday. “This approach is similar to what we’ve implemented in multiple other communities across the province.”
Loewen mentioned that similar efforts have been made in Whitecourt, Hinton, and Canmore, with further initiatives planned.
Mike Judd, a member of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes. (Avery Woods/CBC)
Old-growth forest preservation is essential, asserts DOES member
However, Mike Judd, a member of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes, contends that the preservation of old-growth forests is crucial.
“Old-growth forests are vital for maintaining water resources; they regulate the speed at which water flows, prevent flooding, and mitigate landscape drying,” Judd explained.