Thousands of Albertans are raising concerns over a proposed logging that will begin this winter in Kananaskis Country’s Upper Highwood Drainage.
The plan involves clear-cutting an area equivalent to 2,000 football fields later this year.
Conservationists and recreation groups like “Take a Stand for the Upper Highwood” fear that the logging operation, led by Cochrane’s Spray Lakes Sawmills, poses significant threats to the environment, local wildlife, and recreational opportunities.
Amber Toner from the “Take a Stand” group has serious concerns about the environmental implications. “This operation affects a 21-kilometre stretch of the Highwood River, a habitat for at-risk trout species and other wildlife, including grizzly bears,” she told the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
These concerns have prompted many to take action.
“Take a Stand” spearheaded a letter-writing campaign, resulting in over 1,800 emails sent to provincial authorities, urging them to reconsider the logging agreement with Spray Lakes Sawmills.
The logging company holds a 20-year renewable agreement with the Alberta government, allowing it partial management rights over forests within Kananaskis public lands.
While Kananaskis Country offers a variety of designated lands, approximately more than a third of its expansive 420,000 hectares remain unprotected.
This opens up significant portions for resource extraction activities, including logging and oil/gas operations.
Toner further stressed that many visitors might be unaware of the vulnerable status of lands in Kananaskis, particularly those areas that provide habitat to diverse fish species.
In a more detailed examination of the ecological risks, Josh Killeen of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) Southern Alberta noted the impending danger sedimentation from logging operations can bring to aquatic habitats and increased flooding risks.
The combination of clear-cut harvests near water bodies in hilly terrains leads to increased sediment deposits in rivers, adversely affecting fish populations.
The removal of vegetation and tree roots and the opening up of the forest increase flood risks.
Critics are also concerned about the impact on the region’s grizzly bear population, a species classified as ‘threatened’ under the Alberta Wildlife Act.
The targeted logging area lies within prime grizzly bear habitats, raising questions about whether logging undermines wildlife conservation efforts.
Addressing critic’s concerns, Ed Kulcsar, the Vice-President of Woodlands with Spray Lakes Sawmills, said the company’s Forestry Management Plan (FMP) seeks to balance social, economic, and environmental factors in their timber extraction operations. “Public participation is crucial. We’ve engaged with the community through various channels to gather input,” Kulcsar stated to the Rocky Mountain Outlook
The company plans to log the 1,100-hectare Upper Highwood area over two years.
If the logging goes ahead, Spray Lakes’ will have to ensure replanting or regeneration within two years after the logging is done.
Garrett Koehler, the press secretary for Alberta Forestry and Parks, told the Rocky Mountain Outlook, “While logging may have short-term visual impacts, the long-term perspective is about ensuring healthy forests for future generations.”
Amber Toner critiqued of the province’s approval, juxtaposing the logging approval against the Kananaskis Conservation Pass,
Many critics think the logging approval conflicts with the stated purpose of the Kananaskis Conservation Pass , which costs Albertans $90 a year to access the recreational opportunities of Kananaskis.
The purpose of the Conservation Pass is to provide sustainable funding for the government “to keep this special part of Alberta beautiful and protected for generations to come.” According to Toner, allowing industrial activity neither protects nor conserves the area.
Toner lamented, “The discrepancy between what Albertans pay for [the Conservation Pass] and what they witness in terms of extensive clear-cutting is alarming and goes against the essence of conservation efforts.”
The recent logging approval raises important questions: Where do we log and how? And where do we leave well enough alone?
One thing all Albertans agree on is that they want healthy forests for the future.
How we achieve this is up for debate.
