Save Macpherson for Future Generations - Video

 Well said.

 Earth First..... We'll log the other planets later!!!!

 So you decided to join pinkbike three days ago ? You must really love biking

 my own personal view on this is based primarily on economics although i do have an emotional opinion on the subject as well. i attended the initial "public consultation" that bc timber sales had with the community. it was very shocking and disappointing to hear the forester for bcts begin the consultation by stating that he was responsible for every trail on macpherson and that people should really be coming up and thanking him. he then stated what they where going to log. it came across as very confrontational, arrogant and uncooperative. when challenged on the subject he openly stated that the timber has very minimal economic value and is slated for pulp. when asked why bcts could not log in a different area of their extensive tenure he again openly stated that this was the easiest and was only being logged to satisfy their license requirements. this individual has responded to confrontation in the past, right on the flow down trail itself, by punching another individual with a different opinion in the face. shocking to say the least. it is estimated that the value for the timber is about $250,000. then one must take into account the cost of the logging operation itself as well as replanting. in 2014 the revelstoke chamber of commerce did an economic impact study and conservatively estimated that the macpherson trails brought $215,000 into the community that summer alone. this conservative estimate only considered weekend traffic and to be sure, this dollar value will only grow. it is very interesting that the forester mentioned is also an active member of the revelstoke cycling association's cross country committee. this committee has not shared their minutes for the meetings they have had with bcts. it is common knowledge that there was a strategy in place prior to bcts announcing their plans to log in the macpherson rec area. they would announce the plans knowing that there would be strong community opposition. they would then compromise with a minimal buffer zone and the rca xc committee would except. again, it is very interesting that the bcts forester is a member of the rca xc committee. save macpherson is about having and open and honest discussion about the land use policy that governs how these issues are dealt with. they wish to have a true public consultation with transparency. the rca certainly does not represent the opinion of the overwhelming majority of its members on this topic.

 No trails being 'lost', either XCski or MTB. Trails impacted by logging activities are re-established afterwards for the most part, just means you do these activities in a clear-cut instead of the forest.

 @djdrail: Right, "nothing is being lost", because biking and skiing in a clearcut is exactly the same! (insert eyeroll here). Nevermind the need to rebuild something that already exists, maintaining trail in a clear cut is twice as much work. Brush grows in crazy fast, and erosion happens at an accelerated rate due to the full exposure. That's like saying, sure the waters a little polluted, but you can still swim in it if you want. I understand the logging industry is important to many interior small towns and the province as a whole, but thats a pretty weak argument for destroying established recreational land use.

 @lostlunchbox: I didn't say they were the same and it wasn't implied either... merely stating the facts for the previous commenter that thought the trails were being lost forever.

 Exactly. Clear cuts are unsightly. BC is a giant province that is largely uninhabited. It already looks like a giant quilt of clear-cuts (take a look on Google earth). There's no need to clear-cut so close to town where everyone can see them.

 You can find that article and many more here: www.revelstokemountaineer.com/tag/mount-macpherson.

Visit www.savemacpherson.org for all the details and specific examples of impacts. The fact is that the entirety of Mt. Macpherson Recreational Area will one day be logged if the provincial government cannot successfully be lobbied to review and change their outdated land use policies.

This is so much bigger than one trail being logged!

 @SaveMacpherson: To what " outdated land use policies" do you refer? Requiring buffers on trails? It seems as though bcts has done some pretty fair negotiations

 The consultation is a joke, it's more like the logging companies telling everyone else what they are going to do, and anyone who objects can go suck it. Nobody objects to the logging around Revy, it's just that this particular plan is unnecessary, will impact a community recreation site and is dividing the community.

 @BobbyEnglish: hmmm well that's unfortunate you feel like that. In Squamish our trails are on a mix of bcts(public land) and private land. Our cycling club has a pretty good relationship working with bcts and private land holders to buffer trails or recieve compensation to rebuild/reroute trails that are heavily impacted by logging. They are also the trails with the best views...

 Since 2008, the BC government has contributed 3.5 million dollars to Revelstoke to help build and support tourism in the area.... on the flip side, in 2013, the BC forestry sector contributed about 2.5 billion to our country's economy.

 @cmcrawfo:In 2011, tourism employed 126,700 British Columbians and generated $13.4 billion in revenue.
So What you mean is that logging does worth anything to canada right!! if BC alone generated 5.36 time what lumber bring to the whole country?
www.britishcolumbia.ca/invest/industry-sectors/tourism
And if we go country wise well thats tourism brought 35.4 time what lumber brought to canada
so 88.5 billion dollars!!! What the hell are we still doing logging!!!
www.tourism.gc.ca/eic/site/034.nsf/eng/h_00003.html

 @dutflip: I am just saying, that there is an economic impact .... to compare apples to apples. they estimate Mcpherson will contribute 250k to the economy per annum in tourist dollars... the timber value is 300k... and the timber harvest will not reduce the tourism contribution to zero.

Ever try to build a house out of tourism... reading a book printed on tourism.... heating a home with tourism ... or even wiping your ass with tourism? that's why we are still logging.

I don't disagree that this is a good opportunity to open a discussion for how public lands are managed, but ultimately, the size of the cut, the buffer zones around the trails( that the company was not obliged to provide) .. and the fact that these trails were built in a working forest ... (I bet the majority of the trails were unsanctioned and illegally built to begin with)... its not the end of MTB in the area by any means...... . Should they harvest timber from previously untouched areas instead? Build new roads, and haul materials for greater distances?? or perhaps just do it in someone else's community?

 @cmcrawfo: Ok Well i didnt know wood was the only way to do all those thing!!! Sorry i though we where lots more versatile then that! and yes logging mcpherson is a huge lost to the tourism industry! and i have nothing agains logging ! just aggain exporting 90% of our wood to china and usa!!

 @cmcrawfo: Who do you know that has a fulltime job in tourism that they can support their family on?

 @RLEnglish: lots!!

 @RLEnglish: i know way more then the stella jones employee in revelstoke!!! You have to be very close minded to not see that!

 @dutflip: Most people I know that work in tourism need other jobs in the off season like tree planting to make a living.
Isn't Gorman Bros the biggest employer in Revy?
I ride in Revy a fair amount and think it will be a real shame to log this area.

 @RLEnglish: not sure what gorman bros is but i am pretty sure RmR is and is out come ! All the small business owner and there manager are the bigest employee in town ! Falowed by cpr and downie

 @dutflip: Sorry, Downie was bought by Gorman a few years ago.
I am not disputing that tourism employs people but from my experience doesn't give the career jobs that people need to buy a house and send their kids to school.
I have many friends that work on ski hills in the winter but have to find other jobs in the summer and a lot of them are in forestry.

 And how much of that $300k goes back to Revelstoke .? Who really benefits from this? Not many of the residents I bet or their children or the children not born yet. I totally agree with @SaveMacpherson its a lot bigger then one trail being logged. A line has to be drawn.

 @RLEnglish: yes of cours tourism bring lots of ski bum job for sure but all the manegement and owner of small business that are impacted by tourism make good money to