Logging Plans in the Bragg Creek Region
Trip date: Sunday Jun 18, 2023
Submitted by SkierRoger
Particpants:
Discussion:
Members of the XC skiing community may be aware of concerns being expressed on social media regarding potential logging plans in the Bragg Creek region. I see that Bragg Creek Trails has recently posted a statement about the 2026 logging on their website: https://braggcreektrails.org/interested-in-the-logging-in-west-bragg-creek/
I was asked to post a petition on this website but first began by reaching out for information from a very knowledgeable member of our skiing community. Here are a few things that everyone should know:
The so-called "logging maps" currently being circulated on social media were part of the 20 year long-range outlook that Spray Lakes Sawmills is required to update every 10 years. The intent of the maps is to provide a high level view of general forest areas that will be CONSIDERED for future planning. The maps are NOT the detailed cutblock layouts. Instead, they are the starting point for detailed planning and discussion with stakeholder groups (like Bragg Creek Trails, Moose Mountain Bike Trail Society, etc).
Spray Lakes Sawmills is legally required to consult with groups like Bragg Creek Trails. A detailed planning process for the 2026 logging cycle starts in January to March 2024. Forestry staff will be doing a detailed field evaluation of the forest to identify the various tree types, sizes, slope angles, water courses, etc. Once done, meaningful discussions can be held - including what areas are actually possible to log, options for hauling trees out and ways to minimize trail impact.
The resulting cut block and haul road plan will be substantially smaller than the generalized area shown in the overview map.
Both Bragg Creek Trails and Moose Mountain Bike Trail Society constructed their trail networks on public land with the full knowledge that this was public land, with multiple land uses, including oil and gas activity, forestry and cattle grazing.
In the past, forestry and energy has worked together to help build these trails. Here are several examples:
-Mountain Road is a Peiradea Energy Licence of Occupation road, which they allow to be used as a ski/multi use trail.
-Hostel Loop was originally a logging road.
-Telephone Loop was partially a logging road and partially the alignment of a telephone land line (from Elbow to Jumpingpound). The NW corner was upgraded by SLS in 2012, when the were logging in the area.
-East/West Crystal Line is mostly an old seismic cut line, however the part of East Crystal that goes up to Sundog is a logging road, which was upgraded by SLS in 2012. Most of the Crystal Links are old logging roads.
-Loggers is... a logging road.
-Iron Springs is a logging road and a portion of it was upgraded by Spray Lakes Sawmills in 2012.
-Iron Creek is a 50 year old logging road.
-Elbow is mostly an old logging road, and the north-south part is an old seismic cut line.
-Sundog is an old logging road.
-Moose Loop is a reclaimed energy road (on the east side) and an old logging road (on the west side). About 2 km of the NW portion was moved onto the 2012 Spray Lakes Sawmills logging road and they paid to turn it into a ski trail.
-Mountain View and Mountain View West were Spray Lakes Sawmills logging haul roads in 2012/13 and Bragg Creek Trails went through a formal process to have those roads transferred to be used as ski trails. Spray Lakes Sawmills replaced all of the culverts on those roads (now ski trails) and helped Bragg Creek Trails install the bridges, and upgraded the ditches and graded the road at no charge.
Ask yourself… what would the WBC XC ski trail network look like, without all these logging roads, seismic lines and energy roads?
If you hike or mountain bike at WBC, you should look at trails like Braggin Rights, Long Distance, Disconnect, Boundary Ridge, Bobcat or Snakes & Ladders to get an idea of how logging and trails can coexist on the same landscape.
Experts in the field, who possess far more knowledge than me urge us to allow the consultation and planning period to happen, starting in 2024. This will enable an open dialogue, with careful consideration of the impacts and potential solutions.