Timmins Local Citizens Committee
Minutes of October 24, 2012
October 24, 2012
LCC hours: 39 hours
Year to Date: 356
Total: 6429.4
Date: October 24, 2012
Location: Ontario Government Complex, Fire Boardroom
Present: Robert Calhoun, Kees Pols, Rusty Fink, Stefanie Thibeault, Mark Joron, Ron Johnson, Dave Stringer, Bob Bielek, Jody Russell
Regrets: James Naveau, Gail Krawchuk, Pamela Reid, Jenny Millson, Bill Russell, Scott Tam, Barry Edwards, Allan Moyle, Kees Stryland, Lino Morandin, Marc Lapalme, Marcel Cook, Andy Chartrand
Absent:
MNR: Glen McFarlane, Nikki Wood
Guests: Todd Copeland, Planning Biologist, MNR; Adam Challis, Planning Biologist Intern, MNR
Call to Order:
Robert Calhoun filled in for Bill Russell as Chair man for tonight’s session and called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m.
Summary of Action Items for This Meeting:
Action item 10-12-01: The LCC has recommended that MOE be allowed to participate in future LCC meeting in a resource capacity; Glen will discuss the recommendation with the District Manager to seek approval.
Action Item 10-12-02: That the membership list be changed to delete Pamela Reid as a member and change Dave Stringer representation from Small Forest Industry to Local Business Representative.
Draft a letter and send out to members affirming their interest in remaining on the LCC Committee.
Action Item 10-12-03: The Timmins LCC members have recommended that the appropriate changes be made to the Terms of Reference and signed by the MNR District Manager and the Timmins LCC Chair man.
Review and Approval of June 20, 2012 Minutes:
Motion to accept- Mark Joron
Seconded by- Ron Johnson
All in favour-Carried
Review and Approval of tonight’s agenda:
Kees Pols asked the Chairman to add the topic of Community Environment Fund proposal to the agenda
Motion to accept- Kees Pols
Seconded by- Dave Stringer
All in favour-Carried
Letters/Correspondence
There were no letters received this month
There was a quick re-cap of the field tour where the LCC members went out to Fire 9 during the September meeting to take a look at recent salvage harvest activities
Some of the observations included the quick presence of the sawyer beetle and the associated destruction caused to the burnt trees. The beetles migrated into the burn areas soon after the fire and tunnelled their way into the cambian layer of the trees; the result being defects to the wood that reduces the quality of the saw log or in some cases renders the tree useless for markets.
The pulp markets are also hindered by the depth of the burn into the tree as charcoal greatly affects the pulp quality
Tembec was able to salvage some areas where the trees were partially burned.
Another observation was the presence of new pine seedlings along with new poplar saplings. Hopefully a wet 2013 spring will help the new forest along
District Manager Update-Glen McFarlane
Glen was approached by MOE to ask the Timmins LCC members if MOE could provide a representative to attend and participate at LCC meetings and function as a resource agency. After a round table discussion it was agreed to that Timmins LCC would allow MOE to participate at future LCC meetings. A motion was tabled to allow MOE to attend future LCC meetings and provide support as a resource agency.
Motion to accept-Kees Pols
Seconded by-Mark Joron
All in favour-carried
Glen indicated that he would discuss the acceptance of allowing MOE to attend future meetings with the District Manager to allow for the addition.
Action item 10-12-01: The LCC has recommended that MOE be allowed to participate in future LCC meeting in a resource capacity; Glen will discuss the recommendation with the District Manager to seek approval.
Review of LCC Terms of Reference-Nikki Wood
Nikki led the LCC members through the review Timmins LCC Terms of Reference; the following business items were discussed:
On the topic of membership, some changes were made regarding the removal of Pamela Reid as a LCC member and moving Dave Stringer from small Forest Industry representative to local business representative.
The topic of membership and tenure on the Committee and the membership presence records for attending meetings was discussed; after a lengthy discussion, it was recommended that the text remain the same in the Terms of Reference and that MNR draft a letter and send out to the members affirming the members’ interest in remaining on the Committee.
The Chairman thanked Nikki for leading the members through the Terms of Reference Review.
Action Item 10-12-02: That the membership list be changed to delete Pamela Reid as a member and change Dave Stringer representation from Small Forest Industry to Local Business Representative.
Draft a letter and send out to members affirming their interest in remaining on the LCC Committee.
Action Item 10-12-03: The Timmins LCC members have recommended that the appropriate changes and updates be made to the Terms of Reference and signed by the MNR District Manager and the Timmins LCC Chair man.
Blanding Turtle-Todd Copeland
Todd provided the Timmins LCC members with an update on the tracking of a blandings turtle that had been found in the area in spring 2010. The following update was provided; also see presentation attached:
The blandings turtle was originally discovered on the back road between Schumacher and South Porcupine in spring 2010
Since that discovery, two more have been reported and confirmed; one on the Dalton Road area and one at Gillies Lake.
The turtle is semi aquatic, grows to a carapace length of approximately 10+ inches; colour of chin, throat and lower neck is bright yellow.
They are omnivores
The nesting period is between June 1st and July 15th and clutch sizes vary from 5-15 eggs.
They hibernate over winter from November to April; they reach sexual maturity at 18-22 years and live in excess of 70 years.
The turtle is a threatened species provincially and nationally.
The turtle that we discovered in 2010 was fitted with radio transmitter and has been tracked by our staff members about twice a month during the active season for the last two years
The information gathered provides us with their habitat network, habits and hibernation time and preference.
Observations include summer preference of shallow soft bottom wetlands ponds and streams; hibernates in mud at bottom of water bodies
Questions that still can’t be answered are absolute confirmation as to whether the blandings is native or introduced to the area; next steps may be the need to do DNA work.
Following the presentation, there was a general discussion about the need to engage the community more by setting up a communication network identifying and reporting on species of animals, birds, bugs etc. that they see in the local area; presently it seems that discovery of unusual species are kept secret.
Todd had indicated to the members that there is no intent to keep secrets from the public when it comes to identifying species at risk, but it is not wide spread knowledge either. The discussion also included the argument about managing species through protection of population vs. managing species by protection of habitat.
The Chair man thanked Todd for his very interesting presentation.
FMP Training Modules- Nikki Wood
Nikki led the members through two FMP training modules in preparation for upcoming work related to the approval stages of the Abitibi River Forest FMP and the Stage 2 Romeo Malette Forest Plan. The following represents the highlights of the module discussions:
Issue resolution is provided for during the planning stages of the plan.
There are three stages in which to engage discussion of the issue
Plan author stage
District Manager stage
Regional Director stage
Plan author stage receives written submission from complainant; attempts to resolve, seek agreement and document
If this resolution is not successful, the complaint is then forwarded to the District Manager. The Complainant meets with the District Manager, Plan Author and an LCC Planning team Representative; the issue and the facts are provided at the meeting, the District Manager provides a decision written in a response letter which is sent to the complainant and is documented in the plan.
If this resolution is not successful, the complainant can ask to have their complaint heard by the Regional Director; The Regional Director will meet with the complainant, Plan Author, District Manager and LCC Planning Representative. The facts will be presented. The Regional Director will base a decision based on facts heard at the meeting the review of planning team minutes, written submissions, District Manager Decision letter.
Regional Director will provide their decision in a written response to the complainant
If the complainant is still not satisfied, they can take their issue up through a formal Independent Environmental Assessment request with the Ministry of Environment; this process can be entertained during the 30 day notice of inspection of the final Forest management Plan. The MOE will review the request and may allow for an individual EA.
During this whole process the LCC is involved.
Q: Can a person go directly to issue resolution?
A: It is strongly recommended that the affected users be contacted by the Planning team Author and engage early in planning stages
The second module presented the aspects of plan implementation as follows:
The Annual Work Schedule (AWS) is the instrument in which a FMP is implemented from year to year through the planning period
The AWS generally provides for about 2.5 years of activities which allows the company some implementation flexibility through the year.
The AWS lays out the schedule of harvest areas, renewal and tending areas, revenues and regeneration survey areas
Aerial spray and prescribed burn projects require a separate plan.
During implementation of the AWS a Company can request revisions and amendments
A revision consists of proposed addition to an AWS that has already been approved for in the Forest Management Plan
An amendment proposal is a request to have something added to the FMP; there are three levels of amendments which include administrative, minor and major. The LCC is involved in the recommendation of the amendment levels.
Annual Reports are submitted to the MNR and provide for an annual summary of activities including compliance assessments and natural disturbances (fire and insect affected areas)
The Chair man thanked Nikki for leading the LCC members through the two modules and engaging discussion.
RMF Update- Rusty Fink, Nikki Wood
Rusty and Nikki provided the members with an update on the RMF as follows:
A lot of work has taken place to date with measuring affects of Fire 9 burn area on the stage 2 FMP
Presently working on the Terms of Reference for the planning team and upcoming plan
There is a possibility that the planning team has their first planning team meeting before Christmas
ARF Update- Nikki Wood
Nikki provided the members with an update on the ARF plan as follows:
The Draft plan is currently being reviewed and feed back to the company by November 6th
The Regional Director discussion with issues related to the caribou strategy/mayors still to take place
FRMG will re-submit the plan with changes by January 2013 to maintain schedule of plan approval for April 2013.
Ontario Community Environmental Fund (OCEF)- Kees Pols
Kees talked to the Timmins LCC members about an opportunity to provide funding for local rehabilitation and stabilization projects in the Timmins area; the following represents the main points of his discussion:
The OCEF program is sponsored by MOE
Fines assessed by MOE are collected and put in a pot
The pots are established for each watershed in the province
Timmins has two watersheds, namely the Whitefish and Mattagami Watersheds.
To date, there is approximately $6,600.00 in the Mattagami and $144,000.00 in the Whitefish
MRCA has established and lead a group made up of local clubs and agencies to brainstorm ideas for projects in the area.
There are three separate proposed projects that will be applied for in the two watershed areas.
There is an application for funds in the Mattagami Watershed to carry on with the next stages of the Sturgeon population rehabilitation project that is already in progress.
There are two proposed projects for the Whitefish Watershed.
The Porcupine watershed rehabilitation project proposed as a two year project; the first phase is to obtain the benchmark and establish a priority project list in order to re-establish the system as a recreational opportunity for local residents; the second phase will be to implement the rehabilitation/stabilization projects. This proposal will also form the ground work for the formation of future possible stewardship partnerships to support the completion of the long term goal of the project.
The City of Timmins will propose a project regarding the assessment of local sewage works that are affecting the Porcupine watershed system and work towards improvements.
Round Table Discussions-All
Interesting meeting
Very information
Good learning experience
The meeting adjourned at 8:45 pm
Next Meeting is scheduled for November 28, 2012 at the Fire Boardroom of the OGC.
Please contact Gail Krawchuk at gga@ntl.sympatico.ca if you cannot attend.
Minutes typed by: Minutes approved by:
…………………… …………………………
Gail Krawchuk Bill Russell
LCC Secretary Chair