It’s unfortunate that Forests Minister Steve Thomson simply sticks to the party line.
While in Vernon Thursday, Thomson was asked if his ministry would hold off on construction of a logging road on Cherry Ridge while Cherryville residents conduct their own hydrological and slope stability studies because of concerns about potential landslides.
Not surprisingly, he defended the government’s own reviews of the site.
“The studies have all been shared and the plans meet technical standards,” he said.
And Thomson may be correct, there may be absolutely nothing wrong on Cherry Ridge. The research done by the ministry and consultants may clearly indicate that the slope is stable and there is no threat to residences and public amenities below.
However, a strong sense of uncertainty exists in Cherryville and Thomson has the responsibility of trying to address those concerns.
Would delaying construction of the road until the community’s studies are completed so seriously undermine the ministry’s ability to sell harvest rights and pump cash into government coffers? Not likely.
But what a delay would hopefully do is allow Cherryville residents to feel like they were a constructive part of the process going on in their backyard. They could provide first-hand knowledge about the slope and previous slides in the area and perhaps that would allow the ministry to proceed with enhanced plans.
Sticking to the same-old refrain coming from ministry bureaucrats may be expedient, but Thomson needs to be open and responsive to forestry communities.
