Friends of Snowden: This is a photo of Campbell River’s CREW hiking club on the bluff overlooking Lost Lake on Scotty’s trail. Many people are surprised to find out that only 25% of those who use Snowden are mountain bikers. The trails are very popular with hikers, trail runners, geocachers, and others. On June 12 representatives from BC Timber Sales gave a presentation to Campbell River’s City Council regarding the proposed roadbuilding and logging in Snowden. BC Recreation Sites and Trails and I also gave presentations to Council. A lengthy article in the June 15, 2018 edition of the Campbell River Mirror captures the key elements of the meeting. The article may be found at: https://www.campbellrivermirror.com/news/developing-a-long-term-vision-for-snowden/ The situation is as follows: 1. The logging plans for Snowden are made up on a year by year basis. There is no long-term plan. This has been a long-standing source of frustration for the River City Cycle Club, who have repeatedly asked that a long-term logging plan be created, so that a long-term recreation plan could be created. 2. Recreation Sites and Trails is willing to work with stakeholder groups to develop long-term, comprehensive plans for key recreation areas like Snowden. The problem is that no one has taken a leadership role to pull all of the user groups together to create a long-term vision and recreation plan for Snowden or for a Campbell River and area-wide trail network. We need to encourage the City to show some leadership in this area. 3. Campbell River is beginning to promote Snowden’s trails more heavily as a tourist destination. This risks over use of the area, especially because no comprehensive plan involving all of the stakeholder groups has been created. Protect – Plan – Promote is the ideal process. The current trajectory may lead to Promote - Promote – Destroy. 4. Nobody really has a clue how valuable the Core Area is from either logging or from a tourism, recreation, and drinking water protection standpoint. Many parties risk irreparable harm if roadbuilding and logging proceed in the Core Area without the appropriate impact studies being done. 5. Some Council members are not convinced that people who enjoy nature and outdoor recreation deserve the same quality of outdoor recreation amenities as people who enjoy indoor recreational activities. They believe that clearcuts are fine when you want to go for a walk in the forest, while they approve millions of dollars in expenditures to give residents high quality indoor recreation experiences. Balancing all of the factors at play is a challenge with regards to the 1150 hectares in question. The good news is that Council’s awareness of these issues is increasing. Campbell River City Council seems to recognize the risks of damaging this incredibly valuable area due to the lack of long-term planning from both a logging and recreation standpoint. Now that they have been briefed, within the next few weeks they will decide what to do. It is critically important that the Regional District joins with the City and with all other parties to call for a moratorium on roadbuilding and logging within the Core Area until a long-term plan has been created. Here’s hoping! Thank you for sending a message to all levels of government that you value Snowden's trails.