Representatives from Spray Lake Sawmills came to the Blairmore Legion on Thursday, May 9th at an annual open house with posters and maps to help educate people on their coming plans. The open house took place from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. and included comment sheets and refreshments.
LINDSAY GOSS
Pass Herald Reporter
An open house that took place last week provided information on the coming plans of Spray Lake Sawmills, (SLS).
The open house was held at the Blairmore Legion on Thursday, May 9th and had some representatives from the company in attendance.
“The purpose of this open house is to educate people,” said Gord Lehn, Director of Communications and ecological business services from SPS.
Lehn explained that there are two different levels of plans that are set out for SLS, a general development plan and forest harvest plans.
The general development plan is a rolling five year plan that gives a snap shot of where the company is projecting to go over the next five years.” It’s a very broad plan,” Lehn explained.
Forest Harvest Plans, often abbreviated to FHP refer to specific information on logging plans, and the specific locations the company plans to log.
Although plans have been created, Lehn explained that many of the details in the plans are subject to change, as Spray Lake Sawmills as the South Saskchewan Regional Land use Plan has not yet been finalised and is expected to change some of the dynamics of logging.
Currently, Spray Lake Sawmills are logging in areas around Beaver Mines. Lehn said that the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development has suggested a deferral of logging in the Beaver Mines area until the South Saskatchewan Regional land use plan is complete.
“We are also very open to information and feedback,” said Lehn. “That’s how we hear what is important to people and we know that there is a great amount of concern regarding logging from local residents.”
Local forest scientist and resident, David McIntyre said that he found it interesting that although the open house provided maps of the logging areas of Spray Lake Sawmills, it was hard for many people to find places they knew on the maps.
“It was very difficult to navigate cross the maps they provided to the viewers,” said McIntyre.
He went on to talk about the threatened habitat of the Cut Throat Trout species.
“One of the things that I found most surprising is that it almost seemed that the government is targeting the Cut Throat Trout habitat,” he said.
“If we are going to protect a species, and we know that logging is detrimental to the species wellbeing, why would we be logging in those areas?”
