By the end of April, a provincial task force is expected to answer a big question for the Highway 16 corridor鈥攃an the province secure enough timber to justify what will likely be a $100 million rebuild of the 亚洲天堂 Lake sawmill?

鈥淲e鈥檙e not there yet, but I鈥檓 optimistic,鈥� said

Speaking recently to the Houston Chamber of Commerce, Rustad said the challenge is how badly the pine beetle has hit the lakes timber supply area.

In five years, its annual cut could fall to a quarter of what it was, from two million to 500,000 cubic metres of timber.

鈥淭his impact is coming to all of our communities,鈥� Rustad said. 鈥淲hat we do here, for 亚洲天堂 Lake, could be a blueprint for resolving many of the issues.鈥�

questioned some of the yield numbers the province is projecting, and said he is concerned about the long-term impact of the plan. 鈥淚 just see some knee-jerk reactions coming up here, and I don鈥檛 know if they鈥檙e well thought out,鈥� he said.

As reported March 28, the task force may relax logging restrictions in scenic areas, old-growth stands and the winter ranges of some animals, such as mule deer.

On that issue, Houston Coun. Jonathan Van Barneveld asked, 鈥淚f we鈥檙e loosening the restraints on visuals or wildlife habitat or winter range, are we not tying our hands for developing other opportunities?鈥�

Rustad said that ultimately that question leads to a choice between $30 to $35 per hour forestry jobs and $10 per hour jobs in tourism.

鈥淚鈥檇 rather have the industrial land base and try to expand tourism at the same time,鈥� he said, noting that the province will continue to restrict logging in key scenic areas and the habitats of more threatened species, such as caribou and grizzly bears.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not talking about stripping off all the constraints,鈥� he said.

Aside from relaxing some logging restrictions, Rustad said the task force is also looking at logging in lower-yield stands, cutting into some of the future timber reserve, and awarding logging contracts that encourage companies to harvest more intensively.

In parts of B.C., Rustad said companies that have been allowed a stronger role in managing their own cut blocks have been able to harvest  up to 50 per cent more timber.

Mayor Holmberg questioned whether anyone could get the same results in the lakes timber supply area, where beetle-kill is already a major problem.

Holmberg also asked why the province is aiming for a rebuild of the Babine Forest Products sawmill, which handled 1.1 million cubic metres of wood each year, when a mill that handles 500,000 cubic metres is easier to sustain?

As for the scope of a new B sawmill, Rustad said that with some of B.C.鈥檚 hungriest mills in Houston and Vanderhoof, a mill handling just 500,000 cubic metres wouldn鈥檛 be able to compete on timber contracts.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to get gobbled up,鈥� he said.

A rebuilt mill will likely handle  between 800,000 and one million cubic metres, he said, noting that a new and more efficient mill will  employ between 180 and 190 rather than 250 workers.

When the Jan. 20, 2012 explosion and fire destroyed the Babine Forest Products sawmill, it not only cost 250 direct jobs, but also made it tough for the nearby Decker Lake mill keep running.

And while managers at 亚洲天堂 Lake鈥檚 Pinnacle Pellet plant say they can continue without a rebuild, it will certainly dash their expansion plans.

Rustad said 鈥淚鈥檓 not willing to say to a community that you鈥檙e going to become a logging camp. I鈥檓 going to do everything I can to make sure we have enough fibre to feed our primary industries.鈥�