September 1, 2010... On September 13, 2010, tree thinning will begin in the Blackcomb Benchlands area. Thinning will be conducted by a contractor on behalf of the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), as part of Whistler’s wildfire management strategy, and will continue until snowfall this year and then recommence in the spring.

The prevalence of forest fires in British Columbia this past summer highlights the need to manage fire risks in forests surrounding communities such as Whistler. Tree thinning is a key strategy recommended in Whistler’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan and is intended to reduce the volume of woody fuels in or close to populated areas, so Whistler’s fire protection efforts can be more effective. The forests targeted are primarily the dense, second-growth forests, which occur throughout much of the valley bottom.

August 31, 2010: Whistler, BC - At their meeting on August 17, 2010, Whistler Council gave first and second readings to Zoning Amendment Bylaw (Asphalt and Aggregate Processing) No. 1930, 2009 and Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw (Material Extraction) No. 1931, 2009.

A public hearing for these bylaws has been scheduled for September 7, 2010, and will begin at 6 p.m. in the Franz Wilhelmsen Theatre at Maurice Young Millennium Place (4335 Blackcomb Way).

August 25, 2010... Residents, contractors, and employees in the south end of Whistler can expect some odours at the wastewater treatment plant for up to two days this week as corrective measures are taken to control odours at Whistler's wastewater treatment plant. To perform corrective work, the existing odour control system must be taken off-line for up to two days. The corrective measures are scheduled for this Friday, August 27, and should be completed by the end of the day.

By Neil Hughes, program director,  Forestry for Ecotrust Canada

Conflicts over resource management issues have been common in BC over the last twenty years and clearly the current activity in Whistler indicates they are not going away any time soon. Much of this conflict has arisen because of  forest policy objectives of maximizing harvest levels, jobs and revenue for the province without due consideration of the many other resources and benefits the forests provide. The RMOW is a perfect example of a location where the non timber benefits of the forest have become an important driver for the whole economy and it stands to reason a different approach to managing the forests is needed.