A proposed logging operation near Hummingbird Creek has unleashed a wave of protest by Swansea Point residents and others who don乌鸦传媒檛 want to see history repeated.

The floodgates opened when Swansea Point residents Lois and Dave Schurek received a letter from Tolko Industries Ltd., dated Feb. 22, informing them of 11 cutblocks being proposed for the uplands above Swansea Point and the Schureks乌鸦传媒� home, located on the east side of Highway 97A along Hummingbird Creek.

乌鸦传媒淭his letter is being sent to you as a domestic water licence holder adjacent to our Crown land operating area and as part of our information sharing referral process乌鸦传媒�,乌鸦传媒� the letter states.

The Schureks, to Lois乌鸦传媒� knowledge, are the only ones in Swansea Point to have received this correspondence.

乌鸦传媒淲e only got the letter because we have water rights in that creek and they want to log that 7016 block乌鸦传媒� and it乌鸦传媒檚 within 1,000 metres of our well,乌鸦传媒� said Lois. 乌鸦传媒淚f they had left that one off and only went for 10, they wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 have had to notify us. So we乌鸦传媒檙e the only ones that got notification and that乌鸦传媒檚 our only way to object.乌鸦传媒�

The Schureks have since ignited a protest against the proposal, a response driven by memory of the large, devastating debris flows Swansea Point experienced in 1997 and 2012, as well as numerous smaller mudslides in the area, including one that occurred on Tuesday, March 14.

The Schureks say past upland logging operations contributed to those debris flows, and they don乌鸦传媒檛 wish to see another.

乌鸦传媒淭here is no question that we乌鸦传媒檙e going to have this again,乌鸦传媒� said Schurek.

Tolko spokesperson Janice Lockyer said the letter received by the Schureks is part of a process that乌鸦传媒檚 in its infancy.

乌鸦传媒淲e are well aware of the concerns and we are looking at the geography of the area and all that stuff,乌鸦传媒� said Lockyer.

乌鸦传媒淚 think what乌鸦传媒檚 really important for people to understand right now is this is a very preliminary part of the process. We are working right now with a hydrologist and geotechs to start the modelling for this process. So we乌鸦传媒檙e not even looking at hanging ribbons until next year. We have a lot of work to do before we even understand what乌鸦传媒檚 going on there, or whether it will work or what kind of adjustments we乌鸦传媒檒l need to make.乌鸦传媒�

In response to Tolko乌鸦传媒檚 letter, the Schureks are calling for a moratorium on all logging activity above Swansea Point. Others from the community who have since learned of the proposed cutblocks are doing the same.

乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 think that乌鸦传媒檚 unreasonable,乌鸦传媒� said Lois. 乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 not anti-logging. That乌鸦传媒檚 a small piece of land considering all of the mountains in B.C. But it would certainly save a lot of lives.

乌鸦传媒淚n 1997, there was 120 to 125 homes, now there乌鸦传媒檚 500. So when you say you乌鸦传媒檙e going to put that many people in harm乌鸦传媒檚 way 乌鸦传媒� because it happens in the summer, these slides don乌鸦传媒檛 happen in the wintertime when they乌鸦传媒檙e empty.乌鸦传媒�

Jim Cooperman and Shuswap Environmental Action Society are also supporting the Schureks, stating it would be completely irresponsible to clearcut log the unstable hillsides above Swansea Point.

乌鸦传媒淲ithout tree cover, more snow accumulates on clearcuts and it melts faster, especially when it rains乌鸦传媒�,乌鸦传媒� said Cooperman. 乌鸦传媒淕iven the instability of this hillside, we can expect more slides across the highway and perhaps even more damage to private properties. As well, with climate change intensifying, there will be more intense storms that will further increase the potential for more landslides in the future.乌鸦传媒�

The Schureks乌鸦传媒� certainty that logging practices contributed to past debris flows is founded in part on a legal action they took against the province and a logging company that had been working in the hills above Swansea Point prior to the 乌鸦传媒�97 debris flow. That disaster rolled through Lois乌鸦传媒� elderly parents乌鸦传媒� home and property while they were at home, and she said despite having physical ailments, they managed to survive the ordeal.

乌鸦传媒淚 did my homework, in 1997 I rented an airplane, went up and took a look,乌鸦传媒� said Schurek. 乌鸦传媒淭hen we went up and filmed it in a rain storm. When I had that to show them, they just folded and said, 乌鸦传媒榳e乌鸦传媒檒l pay you, and we got it.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淭rees absorb something like 60 to 70 per cent of the rainfall乌鸦传媒� We did huge studies when we won our case. The roots absorb it so it doesn乌鸦传媒檛 get to the bedrock and the hard place and it doesn乌鸦传媒檛 cause the (soils) to slip. You take them out and you乌鸦传媒檙e going to have slippage constantly.乌鸦传媒�

The Schureks have sent their 乌鸦传媒淭olko package乌鸦传媒� of letters to Tolko as well as local politicians, including Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo. He passed the information on to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Resource Operations, according to spokesperson Dave Townsend.

Responding to a request for comment, Townsend said the watershed above Swansea Point is within Tolko乌鸦传媒檚 industry forest licence and the ministry expects all forest licencees ensure risks to environmental integrity and public protection are appropriately mitigated in the planning process.

He said the ministry is currently aware of local residents乌鸦传媒� concerns and will be in contact with them.

乌鸦传媒淭olko advises that the planning process will take 12 to 18 months to complete and that no layout on the ground is anticipated for two years,乌鸦传媒� said Townsend. 乌鸦传媒淭he ministry has been assured that they are committed to continued communication with residents throughout the planning process.乌鸦传媒�