forest harvesting and water quality (scarp professional project presentation)

Patrick J. BellM.A. Planning Candidate, 2016School of Community and Regional Planning, UBC

SCARP Professional Project Presentation

Supervisor: Dr. Jordi Honey-Rosés (SCARP, UBC)Second Reader: Sarah Thomas (Watershed Forest Alliance)

June 14, 2016 West Mall Annex 150, UBC

Patrick J. BellM.A. Planning Candidate, 2016

SCARP, UBCCONTEXT | SCIENCE & LAWS | WATERSHED | STUDY REVIEW | DISCUSSION | CONCLUSION

June 14, 2016Forest Harvesting and Water Quality: A Case Study of the China Creek Community Watershed

Vancouver

Nanaimo

Victoria

Port Alberni

China Creek Community Watershed

Sources: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA; DataBC0 2010 40

KM

100%0%Forest Cover (2000)

Context•China Creek Community Watershed:

Port Alberni’s water supply




“Water defines our city. It’s our history and our future. It’s essential, it’s powerful, it’s precious and it’s something we can’t take for granted.” (Slepian 2016)— Mike Ruttan, Mayor of Port Alberni

“Logging on these steep old-growth slopes has a high potential to alter the quality and rate of water flow and the streams’ courses. [Cutblocks above China Creek] should never have been logged.” (Hume, 2015)— Scott Fraser, MLA for Alberni-Pacific Rim

“Water is a basic human right, and I am gravely concerned about the negative long-term impacts that logging in and above China Creek watershed will have on First Nations and all people with whom we share the Valley.” (Wilderness Committee, 2014)— Judith Sayers, Former Chief, Hupacasath First Nation

They have every right to log. All we’re asking is for the protection of the watershed.” (Slepian, 2015b)— Denis Sauvé, Port Alberni City Councillor

Quotes from Influential Stakeholders



•Local concern about logging




Source: TJ Watt



•Local concern about logging

•Study objective




Sources: Center for Biological Diversity; Marmot Recovery FoundationSource: TJ Watt

Queen Charlotte Goshawk

Vancouver Island Marmot

Water Quality•Ecosystem features and services OLD GROWTH FOREST CRITICAL WILDLIFE HABITAT




Source: Our Children’s Trust Source: Vancouver Island University

Water Quality•Ecosystem features and services HIGH VALUE FISHERIES KARST FORMATIONS




Source: Sarah Thomas

Water Quality•Ecosystem features and services WATER QUANTITY CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION




Source: TJ Watt Source: TJ Watt

Water Quality•Ecosystem features and services EROSION & LANDSLIDE

PREVENTIONCULTURAL & AESTHETIC

VALUES




Source: Ehsan Mousavi

Water Quality•Ecosystem features and services

•Turbidity

Low turbidity High turbidity




4-3-2-1-0 Drinking Water Objective

•4: 4-log (99.99%) reduction in viruses;•3: 3-log (99.9%) removal or inactivation of parasites;•2: Two treatment processes for all surface water or unprotectedgroundwater,usuallyfiltrationanddisinfection;

•1: Maintaining a turbidity of less than 1 NTU;•0: Zero bacterial Indicators (E. Coli, fecal coliform and total

coliform)

Water Quality•Ecosystem features and services

•Turbidity

•4-3-2-1-0 Drinking Water Objective

Source: Medical Health Officer & Vancouver Island Health Authority, 2012




Sources: PJ Bell (top); TJ Watt (bottom left & right)

Natural Forest Hydrology• Interception

• Impededsurfaceflow




Sources: PJ Bell (top); TJ Watt (bottom left & right) Source: TJ Watt

• Interception

• Impededsurfaceflow

•Absorb&filter

•Riparian vegetation

Natural Forest Hydrology




Logging Impacts•Numerous risks

Source: TJ Watt





•Logging roads

Source: TJ Watt





•Logging roads

•Harvesting

Source: TJ Watt




Other Turbidity Sources•Sourceidentificationischallenging

Source: TJ Watt





•Anthropogenic sources

Source: TJ Watt





•Anthropogenic sources

•Natural sources

Source: TJ WattSources: West Coast Edge (top); Joe Zaldivar (bottom)




KM631.50

Sources: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA; DataBC

LegendRoads

Streams

Lakes & RiversChina Creek Community WatershedMcFarland Community Watershed

Municipal Water IntakeAlberni-Clayoquot Regional DistrictRegional District of NanaimoCowichan Valley Regional DistrictPublic Land under Tree Farm Licence 44

Private Land

China Creek

Bainbridge

LizardLake

Lake

McLaughlin Ridge

Watershed Overview•Regulatory framework





•Private ownership

Total land base: 94,872,896 ha

Private Ownership4,188,346 ha

Crown Federal1,037,102 ha

Crown Provincial89,512,571 ha

First Nations134,878 ha

Total land base:5,681 ha

Private:Island Timberlands4,958 ha

Crown Provincial387 ha

Private: TimberWest

336 ha

PRO

VIN

CE O

F B.C.

CCCW

Sources: Ministry of Forests, Mines and Lands, 2010; Koers and Associates Engineering Ltd., 2016






•Land uses– Mining

Source: BC Archives






•Land uses– Mining– Hydroelectric power generation

Source: Butt & Hughes-Adams (2014) Source: BC Archives






•Land uses– Mining– Hydroelectric power generation– Recreation

Source: TJ Watt






•Land uses– Mining– Hydroelectric power generation– Recreation– Logging » Historical

Source: TJ Watt Source: Museum at Campbell River






•Land uses– Mining– Hydroelectric power generation– Recreation– Logging » Historical» Recent

KM631.50


LegendRoads

Streams



Private Land

China Creek

Bainbridge

LizardLake

Lake

McLaughlin Ridge

100%0%

Defined as canopy closure for all vegetation taller than 5m in height

KM631.50


LegendRoads

Streams



Private Land

China Creek

Bainbridge

LizardLake

Lake

McLaughlin RidgeChina Creek

Bainbridge

LizardLake

Lake

McLaughlin Ridge

Loss Gain

Forest Cover Loss & Gain (2000–2014)Forest Cover (2000)




Watershed Overview

KM631.50


LegendRoads

Streams



Private Land

China Creek

Bainbridge

LizardLake

Lake

McLaughlin Ridge

2000 2014

KM631.50


LegendRoads

Streams



Private Land

China Creek

Bainbridge

LizardLake

Lake

McLaughlin Ridge

100%0%

Defined as canopy closure for all vegetation taller than 5m in height

Forest Cover Loss Events by Year (2000–2014)Forest Cover (2000)•Regulatory framework


•Land uses– Mining– Hydroelectric power generation– Recreation– Logging » Historical» Recent




Review of Existing Studies•No impact at the moment

•Difficulttoidentifyturbiditysources

•Legacy & non-forestry uses as issues

•Good water quality

Source: TJ Watt




Questions & RecommendationsAre provincial institutions and legislation adequately managing source water and protecting community watershed ecosystems in British Columbia?

•Complex regulations

•Potentialconfusion&inefficiency

•Source water protection

1.

Source: TJ Watt




Questions & RecommendationsAre the laws governing forestry on private land sufficient to ensure the protection of drinking water sources?

•Negative perception of private regulations

•Private considers fewer elements

•Community watershed designation

•Recommendations

2.

Source: Watershed Forest Alliance (2014)




Questions & RecommendationsWho should have control over a community’s water supply?

•B.C. case studies

•Protection does not guarantee water quality

•Government concerns

•Co-management

3.

Source: Ancient Forest Alliance




Closing Thoughts

Source: TJ Watt

To view the full report, visit: issuu.com/pjonahbell

https://issuu.com/pjonahbell

forest harvesting and water quality (scarp professional project presentation)

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