Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) and the Community Forest put aside their differences to work together on a regular basis to discuss forest management. ELF represents an important and well-informed segment of our community, and we are committed to ongoing discussions with each other to plan and deeply discuss what our future forests could look like, addressing our community needs now and into the future.
We thank ELF for their courage and trust that together we can make our Community’s Forest one we can all be proud of.
This agreement came about following an impromptu tailgate meeting at EW24, where ELF had a blockade to stop our contractor from starting harvesting due to their concerns about old growth, their Healing Forest project, archeological concerns, and at-risk species and ecosystems preservation. The harvesting plans had been approved in April 2022 by shíshálh Nation staff, Chief and Council, and the Ministry of Forests, and re-approved by shíshálh Nation staff, and Chief and Council in October 2022
following further archeological review.
The agreement was a simple one, with 4 key points:
• The temporary buffer at the north end of the block (marked “TEMP DEFERRED” on the map) will become permanent:
• Parties will work together to identify a location for the Healing Forest within Old Growth Recruitment
• Parties will meet approximately monthly at mutually agreed time and place TBD
• It is understood that parties will conduct themselves professionally
Following the meeting in the block, the three representatives from ELF left and conferred with Calvin Craigan who wasn't at the blockade. Following his agreement, details were confirmed by e-mail between all parties. This historic agreement marks the beginning of repairing the rift between the Community Forest and the local conservation community, and we believe we are just in time to face the challenges we are all facing, together.
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