Wildlife Group Fears for Monumental Fir
7/9/97
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Subject: Wildlife group fears for monumental fir
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997
From: C-upi@clari.net (UPI)
Organization: Copyright 1997 by United Press International
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 9 (UPI) -- Environmentalists
that have been blocked from entering an area undergoing clearcut logging
near Squamish, British Columbia, say they are worried about what might
happen to an Elaho Giant, one of Canada's largest Douglas Fir trees.
The Western Canada Wilderness Committee says a loggers' blockade
of a road leading to the forest is stopping them from observing what is
happening around the old-growth fir tree, which measures 27 feet (nine
meters) in circumference.
WCWC director Paul George says the loggers' roadblock ``is
convenient for them (the loggers),'' and the area ``is a national treasure
that's being trashed.''
For the past 17 days, loggers, with the help of the International
Woodworkers of America/Canada, have blockaded the Squamish logging road
at mile 21 near Vancouver.
Dave Miller, operations manager for Interfor's Empire logging
division, says the tree will have ``ample area to protect it.''
The company is clearcutting a 20-hectare area and Miller says the
plan has been around for five years.
Interfor says its loggers are not involved with the blockade.
A B.C. Supreme Court judge did not grant an injunction as
requested by the WCWC, but he said the group's request for removal of the
blockade will be heard by a court July 16.
The IWA recently blockaded two vessels of the environmentalist
group Greenpeace in Vancouver Port, demanding $240,000 in compensation to
loggers for their lost jobs they claim resulted from Greenpeace
protests.