For over six weeks, a group in Alberta has been demonstrating against a forestry company’s intention to cut down a significant area of trees in the Crowsnest Pass.
Members of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes are opposing West Fraser’s expedited logging of approximately 460 hectares in the Allison Creek region, located in southwest Alberta near the border with British Columbia.
While the organization asserts that residents of Crowsnest Pass require substantial wildfire protection, they are questioning if the suggested logging is appropriate in terms of location, method, and scale.
Colin Smith, a community organizer for Defenders of the Eastern Slopes, noted that community backing has increased since the group’s presence on-site — some members have taken to camping there — to raise awareness about the harvesting plans.
Members of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes gather around a fire on Tuesday. (Avery Woods/CBC)
“We’re really gaining traction with the message that a new approach is needed for forest management in the Eastern Slopes,” Smith shared with CBC News.
The Defenders of the Eastern Slopes are urging the Alberta government to implement laws that would ensure special protections and management strategies for the Eastern Slopes.
“We need long-term, intergenerational strategies that prioritize water, looking ahead 100 years,” Smith added.
Group claims to be engaging in peaceful civil disobedience
According to Smith, the Defenders of the Eastern Slopes are working to delay West Fraser’s activities, but they are doing so in a peaceful and non-violent manner.
He explained that they have blocked a bridge located in a meadow from being relocated on three occasions.
West Fraser subsequently obtained a temporary court order, and with police assistance, they moved the bridge to create access across Allison Creek for a logging site.
Smith remarked, “We weren’t engaging in any violence; we were being peaceful, but we were simply hindering the bridge’s progress.”
The court order permits West Fraser to proceed with its operations, and Smith stated that the group does not plan to obstruct the company further.
Sgt. Mark Amatto, the commander of the Crowsnest Pass RCMP, indicated that RCMP and conservation officers have been conducting regular patrols to ensure that both the Defenders of the Eastern Slopes and West Fraser are “acting appropriately.”
He mentioned that the situation at the site has remained peaceful.
Response from West Fraser
In a statement to CBC News, West Fraser mentioned that its planned logging in the Allison Creek area aligns with the Alberta government’s Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction (CHFR) program.
This program was created to protect communities from wildfire risks by directing forestry companies to focus on reducing fuel loads near high-risk areas.
The Defenders of the Eastern Slopes have been protesting for six weeks against the planned harvesting of approximately 460 hectares of forest in the Crowsnest Pass. (Avery Woods/CBC)
The company asserts that Alberta has a “strong” regulatory system in place, which includes guidelines for forestry companies during logging, particularly concerning environmentally sensitive areas and water resources.
“West Fraser is dedicated to performing the work in Allison Creek to meet the highest environmental standards while adhering to all regulatory requirements. Our planning includes monitoring conditions both before and after harvesting to ensure responsible management,” the statement read.
West Fraser has also commissioned an independent review to assess the hydrological effects of the anticipated CHFR logging.
According to the company, “The review indicated that the planned logging would result in minimal impact on the Allison Creek area, which would be further diminished as the forest regrows.”
“Notably, considering the significance of preserving aquatic habitats in Allison Creek, the hydrological assessment predicts relatively minor fluctuations in streamflow.”
‘Timely wildfire risk reduction’
In a statement to CBC News, Alberta Forestry and Parks explained that the Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program was established following an analysis of wildfire risks across more than 200 communities within Alberta’s forest protection area.
“The communities located in the Allison Creek area have been recognized as priority areas, and the ongoing work will provide timely wildfire risk mitigation for the Tecumseh community and the municipality of Crowsnest Pass,” the department stated.
In an interview with CBC News on Wednesday, Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen stated that West Fraser will primarily be removing spruce and pine trees, which are the two most fire-prone species, to enhance community protection against wildfires.
Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen states that tree removal in the Crowsnest Pass will aid in protecting the community from wildfires. (Jamie McCannel/CBC)
Loewen emphasized, “The fire won’t spread as rapidly or reach great heights without that fuel present on the landscape,” during a legislative session on Wednesday. “This approach mirrors what we’ve implemented in several other communities throughout the province.”
He added that similar projects have been conducted in areas like Whitecourt, Hinton, and Canmore, with plans for more in the future.
Defenders of the Eastern Slopes member Mike Judd. (Avery Woods/CBC)
Old-growth forest preservation emphasized by DOES member
However, Mike Judd, a member of Defenders of the Eastern Slopes, argues for the necessity of conserving old-growth forests.
“The old-growth forest plays a critical role in water preservation, regulating the speed at which water flows, preventing flooding, and slowing landscape desiccation,” Judd stated.