NEW FOREST ROAD PROPOSALS FOR TEMAGAMI AREA
Background: In the summer of 1995, a "roundtable" discussion that
include local, regional and provincial environmental organizations,
the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Elk Lake Community Forest
board was held to resolve issues in the timber management planning
process, particularly in the headwaters area of the Lady Evelyn
River. One of the key issues was access into the wilderness area.
There were specific concerns about a proposal to upgrade the Cook
Lake Road, which would have run the periphery of the Wilderness
Park.
An agreement was reached that the Cook Lake Road would not be
upgraded and extended across the north shore of Lady Evelyn Lake.
However, some timber allocations in Klock and Van Nostrand
townships would require access. It was agreed that, instead of the
Cook Lake Road, a removable non-permanent bridge would be built
across the Montreal River at Mowat Landing. The bridge would
provide alternative access to the cut blocks and would be removed
after harvesting and renewal activities were completed. This
compromise solution was developed to avoid increasing the road
networks through areas widely agreed should remain in a wild or
near wild state. Lake trout lakes, old growth pine stands and the
northern border of the wilderness park would all have been accessed
by the Cook Lake upgrade. The Mowat Landing crossing of the
Montreal, while undesirable, was judged to be more ecologically
acceptable than the Cook Lake road option.
The compromise, ie. the acceptance by participating environmental
organizations of a bridge across the Montreal River, was seen to be
a major concession made in the interests of preventing new road
link-ups or increasing general motorized access into unroaded
areas.
The Issue: In October 1996, the Ministry of Natural Resources
announced that it was considering a major amendment to the one year
contingency forest management plan for the Temagami Forest
Management Unit. The amendment was requested by Grant Forest
Products and Liskeard Lumber in order to construct a new road from
the bridge crossing at Mowat Landing (across the Montreal River)
through either Lundy Township or through Firstbrook and Hudson
Townships. MNR's "preferred route" would result in approximately 15
kilometres of new road through the forested area between Mowat
Landing and Highway 65, and would also result in a new road link-
up, and so dramatic increases in motorized traffic. MNR's
"alternative route" would link up the Firstbrook Forest Access road
and the Spring Lake Road, and would require 4 kilometres of new
road construction, plus extensive road upgrading.
The Solution: The existing access route is from Mowat Landing on
existing roads via Highway 558 and Highway 11 and Highway 65.
Timber companies should use the exiting roads, as per the 1995
agreement and the 1996-1997 Timber Management Plan. Alternatively,
the timber allocations in Klock and Vonnostren could be left uncut.
You have until Friday Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. to sumbit your comments in
writing to:
Don Farintosh, R.P.F., Area Forester, Ministry of Natural Resources
3301 Trout Lake Rd, North Bay P1A 4L7
telephone 705 475 5550 fax 705 475 5500