A person found loading wood cut in a Qualicum Beach heritage forest has entered into a restorative justice agreement.
At a Qualicum Beach council meeting on April 22, planning director Luke Sales explained that they had received complaints about someone bucking up logs from the heritage forest, as well as reports of someone loading up wood from the forest.
The forest has been protected by a covenant since 2008, and contains 50 acres of old-growth forest.
READ MORE: 500-year timeline marked alongside an old-growth Douglas fir slab in Qualicum Beach
Sales said the town’s bylaw officer attended to the scene and was subsequently able to identify one of the people involved.
“They’ve stated when they got to the heritage forest that the wood was already there… so we’re not clear on who actually did the cutting,” he said.
Sales said that the person found loading wood is now participating in restorative justice in collaboration with the Brown Property Preservation Society (which raised money to save the forest from development between 1994 and 2004).
“What we’re having them do is help in the restoration of the site,” said Sales. “I think it’s the best outcome giving the circumstances.”