For over six weeks, a group in Alberta has been voicing their opposition to a forestry company’s plan to log a significant area of trees in the Crowsnest Pass.
Members of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes are against West Fraser’s expedited logging of approximately 460 hectares of forest in the Allison Creek region, situated in the southwest of Alberta near the Alberta-British Columbia boundary.
The organization argues that residents of Crowsnest Pass deserve effective wildfire protection but are skeptical about whether the proposed logging approach is suitable, appropriate for the location, and conducted at the right scale.
Colin Smith, a community organizer for Defenders of the Eastern Slopes, mentioned that support from the community has intensified since group members began camping on-site to raise awareness about the harvesting plans.
Members of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes gathered around a fire on Tuesday. (Avery Woods/CBC)
“We are really gaining traction with our message advocating for a new vision regarding forest management in the Eastern Slopes,” Smith told CBC News.
The Defenders of the Eastern Slopes are urging the Alberta government to implement laws that would ensure special protections and management strategies for the Eastern Slopes region.
“We need to think long-term and intergenerationally, prioritizing water resources for the next century,” Smith added.
Group claims to practice non-violent civil disobedience
The members of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes are trying to delay West Fraser’s operations, but they are doing so peacefully, according to Smith.
They have obstructed the movement of a bridge located in a meadow on three separate occasions, he explained.
However, West Fraser obtained a temporary injunction, and with police assistance, moved the bridge, which is intended for access to a logging site across Allison Creek.
“Our actions were non-violent; we simply aimed to slow down the bridge’s progress,” stated Smith.
The court’s injunction permits West Fraser to continue its work, and Smith confirmed that the group does not plan to hinder the company further.
Sgt. Mark Amatto, the Crowsnest Pass RCMP commander, mentioned that both RCMP and conservation officers have been conducting regular patrols to ensure that both Defenders of the Eastern Slopes and West Fraser are behaving appropriately.
He noted that the situation at the site has remained peaceful.
Response from West Fraser
In a statement to CBC News, West Fraser indicated that its planned logging in Allison Creek adheres to the Alberta government’s Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction (CHFR) program guidelines.
This program was initiated to safeguard communities against wildfire risks by directing forestry companies to focus on fuel reduction initiatives near high-risk areas.
The Defenders of the Eastern Slopes have been protesting the upcoming logging of roughly 460 hectares of forest in the Crowsnest Pass for six weeks. (Avery Woods/CBC)
According to the company, Alberta has a “robust” regulatory system that includes requirements for logging companies, covering aspects such as environmentally sensitive areas and water sources during the logging process.
“West Fraser is dedicated to executing the work in Allison Creek while adhering to the highest environmental standards and complying with all regulatory mandates. Our planning includes monitoring the conditions before and after logging to support responsible stewardship,” the statement read.
West Fraser also stated that it commissioned an independent review to assess the hydrological effects of the planned CHFR logging.
“The review concluded that the proposed logging would have a minimal impact on the Allison Creek area, which would be further reduced as the forest regrows,” the company mentioned.
“Importantly, given the significance of protecting aquatic habitats in Allison Creek, the hydrological assessment predicts relatively minor changes in streamflow.”
‘Timely wildfire risk reduction’
In a statement to CBC News, Alberta Forestry and Parks explained that the Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program was created after analyzing wildfire risks in over 200 communities within Alberta’s forest protection zones.
“The communities in the Allison Creek area have been flagged as priority communities, and the ongoing efforts will facilitate timely wildfire risk reduction for both 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 indicated that West Fraser would primarily be removing spruce and pine trees, which are the most fire-prone types, to enhance the community’s wildfire protection.
Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen states that tree removal in the Crowsnest Pass will bolster community wildfire defenses. (Jamie McCannel/CBC)
“With fewer fuels on the landscape, fires won’t spread as quickly or reach such heights,” Loewen remarked at the legislature on Wednesday. “This approach mirrors what we have implemented in various other communities throughout the province.”
Similar initiatives have been executed in Whitecourt, Hinton, and Canmore, with additional efforts planned, Loewen added.
Defenders of the Eastern Slopes member Mike Judd. (Avery Woods/CBC)
Need for old-growth forest, asserts DOES member
However, Mike Judd, a member of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes, emphasizes the necessity of conserving old-growth forests.
“Old-growth forests play a crucial role in water preservation, regulating the speed of water flow, preventing flooding, and mitigating landscape desiccation,” Judd stated.
