Environmentalists raise outcry over forest firm's road-building in Clayoquot

Victoria Times Colonist -- Feb 09, 2005

VICTORIA - An environmental group is raising the alarm over International Forest Products' construction of a logging road into the Hesquiat Lake Creek valley north of Tofino.

(If you wish to take action on this issue: http://www.focs.ca/  -- Earth Editor, dani rubin)

Friends of Clayoquot Sound on Monday described the building of the road as

"an ecological crime" and called on Interfor to halt construction. The group

said this marks the first time in 14 years that an intact wilderness valley

in the sound has been subject to road-building and the falling of ancient

temperate rainforest.

But Interfor's West Coast division area manager Don McMillan said the

company has necessary approval from both government and first nations to

conduct the road work.

"We've got approvals at all levels,' " McMillan said. "We're following all

of the very strict science panel recommendations and government and first

nations in terms of the plans that have been signed off and approved."

Diego Garcia, a Friends of Clayoquot Sound spokesman, said even though

Interfor may have the legal right to construct the road, that doesn't mean

it should.

Undisturbed valleys are rare on Vancouver Island, where 75 per cent of the

original productive forest has been logged, the group said in a news

release. It calls on Interfor to immediately cease all forestry activity in

Clayoquot's intact valleys.

? The Vancouver Sun 2005