FRIDAY
$1.25
July 6, 2012
A division of
Vol. 27 No. 54
COMOX VALLEY RECORD Your community. Your newspaper. www.comoxvalleyrecord.com
inc. H.S.T.
CUE THE MUSIC
MusicFest back this weekend at the Exhibition Grounds. ■ B1
FLYING FEET
Cam Levins doubled his chances of bringing an Olympic medal home to Black Creek by winning the men’s 5,000-metre race at the 2012 Canadian Olympic track and field trials in Calgary. Having already qualified for the 10,000-metre event at the London Summer Games, Levins won the 5,000m event last Friday in 14:34.82. The Olympic 10,000m final is scheduled for Aug. 4 with the 5,000m heats set for Aug. 8.
... Complete story on ■ B12
FINDER ■ Weather
A2
■ Lottery
A6
■ Ferry Schedule
A6
■ Editorial
A20
■ Opinion
A21
■ Arts
B1
■ Sports
B12
■ Classified
B22
Syrup industry growing
Man quits to protest ferries ‘fat cats’
Erin Haluschak
Scott Stanfield
Record Staff
Record Staff
Standing at the base of Mount Washington, in a grove of Douglas fir and red cedar trees, the steady drip of sap can be found in a clump of big leaf maples. From mid-January until late February, the sap is collected from the ‘sugar bush,’ then taken to an evaporator/processor, bottled and sold as Vancouver Island’s own maple syrup. In an industry generally associated with Eastern Canada, maple syrup production on Vancouver Island is quickly becoming a burgeoning industry, explained forester Harold Macy. Merville-based Macy and his wife Judy own Headquarters Creek Woodlot, a small sustainable forest on Crown land just off the Strathcona Parkway that provides timber to niche markets such as house logs and crossarms for power lines. Macy also focuses on nontimber forest products such as mushrooms and berries as well as sap. Recently, with Macy’s help, maple syrup production was included as an acceptable farm crop under the BC Assessment Authority regulations. He explained this means someone with an appropriate existing stands of native maple can now apply for farm status, opening the door for a significant increase of West Coast maple syrup production. It also means increased economic spinoffs for farmers who focus on other primary agricultural production, such as beef or veggies, who have maple trees on their land.
A longtime member of the Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) for Denman and Hornby islands has resigned from his voluntary position because he is tired of seeing high-paid executives receive bonuses while BC Ferries loses revenue and ridership. Statements released last week reveal senior ferry executives earn million-dollar salaries and bonuses. “It just occurred to me that BC Ferries is going from the fast cats scandal to the fat cats scandal,” Dennis Forsyth said Thursday. “I think it should be a scandal. Somehow the notion that a man (Rob Clarke) who is being paid $296,000 a year to do a job as a chief financial officer needs another $400,000 incentive in order to do that job I find just appalling.” Forsyth represented the Denman Residents’ Association on the FAC. Acting as a go-between, it was his job to explain BC Ferries policies to his community. “I think that exceeds my capabilities here,” he said of the salaries and bonuses. “Over the last few years they (BC Ferries) are more and more reluctant to act on any advice that we give them.” He credits the corporation for reacting to minor issues such as terminal parking on Denman, but not to major issues. Forsyth understands BC Ferries has financial problems, but does not understand the corporation “preaching” to people about fiscal responsibility and economy, then taking a bonus on top of a salary that would exceed the wildest dreams of most Canadians. “There’s just something mor... see MORALLY ■ A2
BRIAN
HAROLD MACY EXAMINES a tree he is using to produce maple syrup (inset). PHOTO BY ERIN HALUSCHAK “This is really exciting to have this door opened,” said Macy. “It’s one of the most exciting things to have happened in forestry in years.” Macy noted that rural landowners who have the appropriately sized maple trees, and who develop a management plan and apply for farm status can now be treated similar to those who produce cherries or apples. He added that, with the change of regulations, there is a new sector for the interface between forestry and agriculture, and co-operative partnerships for production. Depending on the season,
one maple tree on the Island can produce between 80 and 90 litres of sap, and with a 38:1 L ratio, can translate into approximately two litres of maple syrup. Once a tree is tapped, the sap is transported to an evaporator, boiled down to remove water, and filtered. “The more you boil it down, the darker the colour, and the more flavour is produced,” explained Macy, who said if the market increases, he foresees a potential for production cooperatives, or third parties who process the sap. He described the flavours of ... see SYRUP ■ A2
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