By Cheryl Jahn

West Lake Residents Concerned Over Dead Pine

Nov 30, 2017 | 9:56 AM

Residents along the west side of the lake down the Blackwater Road have gone to the Regional District of Fraser Fort George with concerns about the number of dead pine trees in the area. Keith Monroe was the first to bring the issue to government’s attention and describes the defining moment for him.
“Well, really this summer was the big flag with all the activity in the Cariboo,” he says. “And because we have that large concentration of beetle in our backyard, the potential was there to have the same thing. Fortunately, it didn’t happen, but the potential is there.”
However, he says the various levels of government he has spoken with have been very helpful. He says BC Timber Sales has stepped in.
“They’ve offered to the reconnaissance and set up a block and go through their process to try and have that logged off. It may take a couple of years, but that’s actually underway now.”
According to the government website, BC Timber Sales mandate is “to provide the cost and price benchmarks for timber harvested from public land in British Columbia.”