The Canadian Coast Guard has requested the clear cutting of around six hectares of trees on Radar Hill in order to improve the service of their radar tower situated there.
The Coast Guard has had a radar tower situated on the Bowen hill since the 1970s, which they use to monitor marine traffic safety for vessels going into port in Vancouver or travelling Howe Sound. In the approximately 50 years since the tower was established, the surrounding trees have sprouted up a significant amount, and many now block the radar’s line of sight to its coverage area.
Alternatives to clear cutting were explored but did not pan out. The Coast Guard says extending the height of the tower would make the signal less reliable, and the trees would continue to grow and block the tower again in about a decade. Selective cutting was also seen by the Coast Guard as simply kicking the problem down the road.
The federal agency has gone through the steps of requesting a development permit request from the municipality, but in reality this is simply a courtesy.
“They (Coast Guard) have said that they want to adhere to our development policies and bylaws, so they’ve gone through their development plan approval process and followed everything that we’ve asked them to do. But ultimately if we were to say no, they would turnaround and simply do it anyway,” said chief administrative officer Liam Edwards at the Sept. 26 council meeting.
Neither the federal Coast Guard or the province who own the land need municipal approval to proceed with the plan. A pair of small areas will be spared from the original plan though: a segment of trees bordering private property to the south, and a portion in the east containing a sensitive creek.
Work will likely start in the coming weeks, with an eye toward finishing the cutting before the rainy season begins. About 50 total trucks worth of logs from the site are expected to leave the island during this time.
“It’s time for it to happen because of the heavy winter rains, and we also get more extreme winter storms that happen now. I would feel more secure about Bowen’s shorelines being safe, as well as shipping,” said Coun. Sue Ellen Fast.
