Diverting discussion from slash pile

Former B.C. Hydro environmental consultant John Kelly says the Crown Corporation deserved praise for right-of-way clearing practices in the 1980s and 1990s, but a section of the new Interior-to-Lower Mainland Line failed to avoid environmental damage.

Wed driven to Burke Mountain in Coquitlam recently to view the clearing for towers 5071 to 5075, the tail end of the ILMs 250 kilometers of towers and cables from Merritt.

Kelly wanted to see what this site looked like after being frustrated by what he found at Millionaire Creek in the Malcolm Knapp UBC Research Forest in Maple Ridge.

An environmental audit in June identified damage to the coho producer. It still hadnt been repaired in November as spawning occurred.

Other steps to mitigate impacts reseeding of scraped off vegetation, and water diversion channels were just being taken.

Luckily, sunny weather delayed the rainy season.

At tower 5071, at the base of the mountain, Kelly noted more failures to avoid damage, and mitigate impacts. Hed later report them to Maple Ridge stakeholders, including ARMS, the research forest and Rod Stott, environment officer for Maple Ridge.

Trees were felled and left across a stream, he noted.

Kelly thought theyd been cut a year ago, but the mess is still here and the clearing contractor is gone. This is very poor construction practice. Damage occurred when some trees were pulled out [by skidders].

ARMS favors the use of helicopters to remove trees more expensive, but less disruptive.

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Diverting discussion from slash pile