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We need more TFL protection, not less By Don The front-page headline blared, “New move to prevent export of raw logs is launched by Chamber of Commerce.” The resolution read, “Whereas large quantities of logs in the raw state are being exported out of the province for manufacture elsewhere; and, whereas the manufacture of such logs within B.C. would benefit industry generally and increase employment; therefore be it resolved that the Duncan Chamber of Commerce petition the provincial government to prevent...the export of logs and to make representation to the (federal) government for the imposition of a heavy export duty on logs going out of the province.” Good for the chamber. Problem is this resolution was not meant for Gordon Campbell’s government that has just agreed to have Western Forest Products remove 70,000 acres of privately owned land from three of its tree farm licenses on Vancouver Island. The Duncan chamber passed that resolution in November 1937. It was 101 years ago that provincial government legislation required all trees cut in B.C. to be milled right here in B.C. If you’re cutting trees on Crown land, in the TFL, whole logs can be exported only by special permission of the provincial Ministry of Forests. Trees cut on privately owned forestland are under federal, not provincial, jurisdiction and, if no one in B.C. wants to pay the U.S. price for the log, it can be exported. The number of logs exported from both Crown and private lands more than doubled between 2001 and 2005. Perhaps the biggest advantage in getting private lands out from TFLs is that it can now be sold. The highest return would be to log the land and sell it for real estate development. Of the total, 30,000 acres are on southern Vancouver Island. Wonder what that’s worth at today’s real estate prices? WFP has already made a bundle keeping the private land in its TFL, because that way it’s pretty hidden from the tax man. They’ve paid virtually no property taxes for 50 years. Maybe the politicians are just letting WFP catch up. Trying their hand at the give-away game in 1999, the NDP wanted 5,000 acres from TimberWest’s TFL for new parkland. In return, TimberWest got 8,000 acres of Crown land, took 150,000 acres of private land out of TFL 46, and pocketed $500,000 of taxpayers’ cash. Three years ago Forest Minister Mike de Jong approved Weyerhaeuser’s request to remove 173,000 acres of private land from TFL 44 on southern Vancouver Island,. We know corporate executives are supposed to increase
profits by any means possible. But there have to be limits according
to former Duncan Forest District manager and North Cowichan councillor,
Tom Walker. Amen, Tom, amen. This article was posted with permission from the author. |
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