| Archived News Article -
September 15, 1999 |
|
Society Takes Stock of Success
Steelhead Society
counts FRBC deal as measure of respect
Campbell River Mirror
Wednesday
September 15, 1999
The Steelhead Society isn't just an
advocacy organization anymore, it has proved highly
successful as restorer of fish habitat in recent years.
The Society has become so successful
it is the only non-forest tenure holder to win a multi-year
contract with Forest Renewal BC for watershed restoration
work.
FRBC representative Ron Bronstein announced
details of its 1999-2000 funding Friday. The Steelhead
Society Habitat Restoration Corporation was on the list
with an $895,500 multi year contract.
Saturday Society representatives were
in town to show off just how successful with public
tours of projects in the Campbell River Forest District.
"I feel pretty proud about that,"
said Dave Haddon, a director of the Society's Campbell
River chapter.
He said many groups are involved in
maintaining and restoring salmon stocks, but the Steelhead
Society has evidence to make the case it is tops among
them.
"Analysis shows the Steelhead Society
with the Habitat Restoration Corporation, is far and
away the number one group in B.C.," Haddon said.
"We've done more than any other non-profit group
in the province."
He said creation of the corporation
has been a radical change for the Society to absorb
over the last five years.
Haddon credited current Steelhead Society
president Dan Burns with the idea to create the Society's
Habitat Restoration Corporation. He said the Society
has always spoken eloquently in advocating for the fisheries
resource.
It was Burns, however who had the foresight
to create the non-profit company that gets directly
involved in habitat restoration. And it is that corporation
which is left standing as the only non-profit group
with an agreement with FRBC.
Doug McCorquodale, operations manager
for the corporation, said they are spending about $300,000
on projects in the district this year. Their projects
range from playing small roles in improving the Raven
and Elk Falls spawning channels on the Campbell River
to constructing a ground water channel on Big Tree Creek
to forest restoration along its banks.
McCorquodale said McMillan Bloedel is
its partner in the latter projects. They aim for partnerships,
he said, because it is a way of "levering"
more dollars to the task.
Between partners the Corporation is
involved in projects totaling $600,000 in work.
Bronstein said the Steelhead Society's
Habitat Restoration Corporation is one of six multi-gear
agreement holders doing works in the Campbell River
Forest District.
MacMillan Bloedel is doing the most
work it is spending $3.34 million on either watershead,
enhanced silviculture or forest inventory work . Western
Forest Products has $3.33 million in work under way,
Interfor has $1.33 million, Timberwest $1.1 million
and Canfor $175,000 of their funds committed to the
district.
|
