Participants in an Alberta Wilderness Association sponsored talk with West Fraser Timber of Cochrane got a primer course in general forestry planning from company officials Tuesday evening, but little in the way of hope they’ll have any success in stopping or even slowing down clearcut logging in the recreation areas of West Bragg Creek and Moose Mountain.
West Fraser recently made more detailed maps available to the public, showing the actual cut blocks in West Bragg Creek, along with the names of the biking/hiking /horseback trails affected, prompting anti-logging groups like Bragg Creek and Kananaskis Outdoor Recreation (BCKOR) to declare their “worst fears realized” on social media.
West Fraser (formerly Spray Lake Sawmills) plans to clearcut 900 hectares, the size of 833 soccer fields. near West Bragg Creek and another 450 ha. in the Moose Mountain Trail Networks
West Fraser’s Richard Briand told the crowd, “Input from folks like you can really be helpful.”
But Shaun Peter of BCKOR was not reassured or impressed after the meeting in the AWA’s Calgary office.
He said West Fraser talked far too long – over an hour before the moderator interrupted to go to pre-submitted questions.
“We’re very disappointed (with West Fraser)," he said. "Rather than choosing to maximize their time to illicit public feedback, listen to expert concerns and discuss how they can appease those concerns, they chose instead to simply tell the participants what will happen and why."
“There are over 15,000 individuals that have put their name on a petition demanding to stop the West Bragg and Moose Mountain harvest. When asked how those individuals can have input, West Fraser did not provide any details on how to do so, saying instead that we’ll continue to have discussions with those individuals. Our question is how?” Peter asked.
West Fraser holds Forest Management Agreements (FMAs) on 475,000 hectares from Waterton to Sundre. An FMA is essentially a document that enshrines the company’s right to log. The proposed 900 hectare clearcut covers 0.19% of SLS's FMAs.
Opponents to this clearcut say it will remove the majority of remaining old growth in the West Bragg Creek and Moose Mountain Area and will have an irreversible effect on local businesses and the tourism Industry.
BCKOR estimates the volunteers of the Bragg Creek Trails Association and Moose Mountain Bike Trail Society have invested over $6.5 million and 100,000 hours to create trail networks in the two areas, and that the trails are now attracting 1,000 visitors per day on average.
A relatively new anti-logging group called GROW (Guardians of Recreational Opportunities in Wilderness) launched an online petition last year opposing West Fraser’s plans to clearcut in West Bragg Creek and Moose Mountain.
Organizer Jeff Woodgate said they garnered over 600 new signatures in one day alone this weekend. As of Tuesday, their total sits at 15,428. The initiative was created to educate trail users about what is going on and serve as an advocacy group to stop the planned harvest in in West Bragg Creek and Moose Mountain from happening in 2025/2026.
To access the petition go to growkananaskis.com.
People interested in clearcut logging in Kananaskis and West Bragg Creek will have an opportunity to learn more about the forest products company’s plans at an open house in Cochrane at the RancheHouse on May 8 from 3 pm to 8 pm.
West Fraser Cochrane Woodlands staff will be on hand to gather feedback on their 2024 timber harvest plans and future harvest areas, as well as answer questions.
Stakeholder comments and concerns will then be incorporated into West Fraser’s plans, according to their website.
