There is an effort growing to protect Rosebud Mountain, one of the last remaining areas of virgin timber in the general region, located in the Punchaw area south of Baldy Hughes and southwest of the city.
"Places like Rosebud are few and far between these days," said James Steidle, who grew up in the area of Rosebud Mountain and is taking a lead role in the preservation conversation.
Steidle points to satellite maps of the region that show recently logged areas versus unlogged areas.
Calling it an "ecological lifeboat" in a sea of heavily logged forests all around, Steidle said he was not opposed to logging in general, even in the greater Punchaw region but sees intelligence in picking prime spots here and there when they present themselves.
"As many people value our wilderness areas, and see that the amount we've logged in this area has been incredibly high, many people support this effort to set aside something," he said.
Since Rosebud is predominantly fir with a large mix of aspen and birch sown in, all naturally generated with only small-scale logging ever done on the hill, it makes for a prime area for protection, Steidle said, since the government and industry have agreed the focus of harvesting should be on dead pine trees.
Not only is this fir territory, but it is also old-growth fir.
"As such it will become an increasingly important regional example of an original, old-growth, mixed-stand Douglas Fir forest for future generations," Steidle said. "Some ecologists have even mentioned the value of maintaining this unique site as a seed-bank. One of the northern fingers of the Douglas Fir range, it's hardy specimens could become an important source of new seedlings into the future."
The Prince George Naturalist Club will be out to examine its flora and fauna this weekend. The group is scheduled to meet at 8 a.m. Saturday under the Spruceland Shopping Centre's main parking lot sign.
Anyone interested in touring the small mountain or leaning more about it can contact Steidle at [email protected] or visit the campaign's website at www.savingrosebud.com.
The club is not endorsing the calls to protect the fir-bearing hill from future logging and mining, but there is acknowledgment from the group that it is a worthy walk in the woods.
"You can't stand in the way of everything, but it's a matter of balance. It is a fascinating place, and without question there is lots of interest around it," said Clive Keen, one of the group's leaders.
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