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Wednesday, June 17, 2015
RESOURCES
Most Alberni wood cut overseas 480,000 cubic metres of raw logs exported from Port last year; council looks into forestry trend ERIC PLUMMER ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
Workers load logs from the Alberni Inlet onto the Global Arc Tuesday. Raw logs account for the vast majority of the region’s wood that is exported to overseas markets. [ERIC PLUMMER, TIMES]
After 480,000 cubic metres of raw logs were exported from Port Alberni to oversees sawmills last year, the city’s elected officials are asking why more of the local product isn’t being cut in town. Raw log shipments are encompassing a rapidly growing portion of Canada’s forestry industry, growing from under 2.5 million cubic metres – roughly equal to 2.5 million telephone poles – to over 6.5 million in 2013. In Port Alberni the demand for unmanufactured logs has so far filled 25 vessels bound for foreign ports this year, far surpassing the four ships packed with lumber cut locally. In 2014 the Port Alberni Port Authority saw 53 vessels loaded with raw logs, while just 13 ships carried lumber oversees. With the community’s sawmills employing a fraction of the workforce they did a generation ago, the trend towards raw log shipments warrants serious questions into how today’s forestry industry is benefiting Port Alberni, said Mayor Mike Ruttan. This has led city council to decide on becoming more informed on public policy issues related to log exports by consulting with industry experts, private citizens
and government organizations. “It definitely impacts us, but frankly as a council we’re not entirely sure how it impacts,” said Ruttan. “Is it an issue of the dimensions of the logs that are being exported? Is it the quality of the logs? Is it the actual species of the logs?” Most of the raw logs are going to China to the support a booming construction industry. The port authority’s figures from 2014 show that 63 per cent of unmanufactured wood was shipped to China, while 27 per cent headed to Japan and 10 per cent went to South Korea. Currently all of Port Alberni’s lumber is manufactured by Western Forest Products for a monthly shipment to Japan. WFP’s Alberni Pacific Division mill does cut lumber for Chinese markets, but not enough is manufactured to fill a vessel on this side of Vancouver Island, said Mike Carter, the port authority’s terminal manager. “They don’t cut enough in Port Alberni to constitute a port of call for a ship to come here, therefore they truck it to the other side and it goes to Duke Point,” he said. Eric.Plummer@avtimes.net
WILDLIFE
Cougar snatches family’s pet cat Predator escapes tracker; conservation officers say incident not ‘high priority’ Book store business SPROUTS by café
KRISTI DOBSON ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES
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Paul Groeneveld is about to open his new bookstore, Artemis Books, neighbouring SteamPunk Cafe at the top of Third Avenue. » Alberni Region, 3
Marine patrol returns to promote lake safety The Sproat Lake Marine Patrol is back this summer with a message: life-jackets, properly equipped, save lives. » Alberni Region, 3
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local family was shocked to lose one of their cats to a cougar last week. Alyson Schmitz just returned home from driving her daughter Ashley to school on Thursday morning. When she got out of her car at her Hector Road home, she saw the wild animal in action. “It came out the bush and I saw it jump out and take the cat,” Schmitz said. “Then it brought it back into the woods.” The property is surrounded by forest, and although there have been cougar sightings in the area over the years, it was a surprise to Schmitz. “I’ve lived here for 12 years and this is the first time I have seen a cougar,” she said. Schmitz immediately called the conservation officer and was told it is not unusual behaviour. “He told me it was not a high priority because it was not aggressive to me,” she said. Schmitz then called a local volunteer who she found out was known for his cougar hounds. He brought four dogs to the home and set them on the cou-
Ashley Schmitz is playing it safe these days with her cat Tiger Lily after her mother, Alyson, spotted a cougar take one of their other cats from the family property last week. [KRISTI DOBSON, TIMES]
gar’s path. They were unable to find prints because of the dry ground. “This was about four o’clock but they smelled it and were right on it,” Schmitz said. “Then they got to dry grass and had to leave it there.”
The cat taken was one of several wild cats on the property, but the family also has three domestic pet cats. The family is taking precautions for their own safety. “I’m keeping my daughter away from the woods and we
are concerned for all of the cats,” she said. “But we live in the woods so we have to expect these things.” Neighbour and owner of Arrowvale Farm, Ann Collins, is also concerned for her animals. “I’m not happy that it is coming close enough to get a cat,” she said. “My goats are at risk so we are keeping them locked up at night.” Collins said she has not witnessed any cougar sightings herself recently, but in the past has seen them along the Somass River behind her farm. Schmitz said the cougar did not appear thin and hungry, but looked like a young cat. The last reported sighting in Port Alberni was on Friday, June 12 near Watson Road, off Mary Street, according to the Wild Safe BC website. The website’s advice is to remain calm if you encounter a cougar. Make yourself appear large, back away and pick up any children and pets. Do not run or turn your back as the sudden movement may cause the cougar to attack. Kristi.Dobson@avtimes.net
Inside today Weather 2 What’s On 2
Alberni Region 3 Opinion 4
ALBERNI VALLEY TIMES VOLUME 66, NUMBER 115
Sports 5 Scoreboard 6
Comics 7 Classifieds 8
Nation & World 9 This Is Then 10
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