Vanderhoof Residents Battle Proposal To Cut Access to Crown Land

By 250 News

Two Vanderhoof residents ,Jake Wall and Neil Helland, are spearheading a drive to try and make changes to the Land Resource Management plan for their area after 800 people signed a petition seeking changes.

The two men ,who have constructed a billboard entering the community, say that under the proposal, vested interests stand to have exclusive areas private for themselves without the general public having access.

In the Vanderhoof area plan, 247,000 hectares of land are set aside for special uses.

Here are some of the comments from the LRMP:

Moose Lake Road;

Forest roads have been extended in the southwest end of the LRMP area for forest health reasons. There is now roaded access to a commercial resort and guide outfitter territory on Moose Lake. The MOF (Ministry Of Forests) signed an agreement with the resort owner to restrict public use to protect his business interests.

Local First Nations have asked for and have been granted, access to this area, which is controlled by a locked gate. The BC Wildlife Federation has taken exception to this preferential access. The gate has been pulled and re-installed.

The camp in question, Fawnie Mountain Outfitters, says on its web site;

Our guides prefer to take bears in the spring when the hides are best and the animals feeding habits are more predictable. Success rates are very high in the spring. Some hunters will shoot two large bears. They will range in size from 5 to 8 feet. Our guides drive a 4x4 pickup truck to feeding areas, glassing, spot and stalk.

 Many of the people who have signed the petition say that what is essentially a private road allows only those people who have a key to gate to access the area. The land is Crown land they say but it is being treated as private land.

Bitch Lake/ Chief Gray Lake trail.

This trail starts at Hobson Lake which is accessed from the 500 road forest road, approximately 1.5 hour drive south of Vanderhoof. An old cat trail runs from Hobson Lake to Bitch Lake

There is high quality fly fishing and restriction on ice fishing at Bitch Lake to protect fishery values. In the mid 1990 concern was expressed that motorized access to the lake could cause significant deterioration of the fishing opportunities. In the 1996 the MOF used a section 105 order under the forest practices code act to close the trail to motorized access. A sign was placed at the trailhead and subsequent trail clearing was completed to allow only foot access. This closure has been deemed as successful with little or no attempt by motorized users to access the lake after the closure.

Johnson Lake Trail.

This trail starts from the klusklus forest road approximately an hour drive south of Vanderhoof. In the early 1990s local guide outfitter approached the MOF with concerns that ATV use by hunters on the Johnson Lake Trail  could negatively affect his business. In 1992 the MOF used the right of way and provincial trail regulations to designate the trail as non-motorized. A sign was posted at the trailhead and a new bridge on the trail was built so that it could be too narrow for ATV use. There were some complaints by local ATV users, however the decision was justified by pointing out that there was a trail across the road. A trail which approaches the north shore of the lake is a winter road only as it crosses a frozen wetland and is close to vehicles though the access management plans. No complaints in recent years.

MLA for the area John Rustad says he has been involved in about six meetings dealing with the plan. "We have removed about 130,000 hectares of the land from the original proposal. Generally this plan seems to be a balanced plan " says Rustad .  He says there are things that need to be managed "The TFL, mining and the guide and outfitters as well as the local population. The road wouldn’t be there in the first place if it wasn’t for the resources".

Is this plan a good deal  for all of the  people in the Vanderhoof area?  Rustad seems to think so "The plan that is being put forward meets the needs of all of the citizens, while at the same time managing resources. "

Wall meantime says it has been an act of frustration, “ At one point there was a meeting to be held so we had more than 200 people ready to attend when that meeting was cancelled ."  Another  meeting was called for November 10  says Wall, that was the Remembrance Day long weekend.  "It was called for Saturday morning when most people had already made plans and we were expected to attend."   Both he and  Helland say  they  just want to be treated in the same manner as the other people are, "It would be different if the land was owned by many of these people who are trying to prevent access , but it is not. "

Wall says his group  represents the people of the community and yet on February 7^th a table meeting was scheduled; "Only Peter Albers from our group was invited. He was to be the spokesperson for the public. He refused to go alone threatening legal action if that meeting was held. It was cancelled. 

In the Land Resource Management outline, the proposal says the move is for tourism and a recreation experience of remoteness. The report says hunting excesses or frightened wildlife have also been identified. Experientially, the noise, the fumes, potential speed as well as the effects on trails conflicts with non-motorized users in including hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The report says this problem extends to winter use as well.

The report also states that 70% of the heli-ski participants are from the USA 20% are from Europe and 10% are from Canada. 42 % of the snow cat skiers are from the US while 51% come from Alberta and BC. The report goes on to say that they are generally in conflict with Snowmobilers.

"If you read the comments on the petition" Wall says "it is plain to see what the people of this region want and that is to be treated like residents of BC first."

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us