Latest news with #Duszynski
Global News
15-05-2025
- General
- Global News
Logging plans near Bragg Creek scaled back, but many trail users still upset
Canada's largest lumber producer has reduced the size of the area it plans to log near Bragg Creek from 880 hectares (about 9 square kilometres) to 556 hectares — but many backcountry trail users said it's not enough. On Wednesday, West Fraser Timber held an open house in Bragg Creek to talk about its plans and address public concerns. View image in full screen West Fraser Timber held an open house in Bragg Creek on Wednesday to seek public feedback to its logging plans for the area. Global News The company said the area to be harvested was scaled back following a previous round of public feedback last year. Story continues below advertisement 'We took the feedback from the public — we also worked with the different trails groups throughout the summer to go walk and bike the trails to see how they would interact with our potential harvest plans,' said company spokesperson Tyler Steneker. 'From that, we've made some changes to our plans, which resulted in a reduction of 37 per cent harvest area from last year to this year.' Steneker claims harvest plans have also been changed so they'll now only affect about 2.1 km of trail. 'I think the initial thought is that our activities would overlap with all the trails and the trails would be would be gone — now our activities avoid the trails for the most part,' said Steneker. View image in full screen West Fraser Timber said it has scaled back its logging plans in the Bragg Creek area from 880 hectares to 556 hectares. Global News Mike Duszynski of the non -profit group Bragg Creek Trails said he's pleased with the changes. Story continues below advertisement 'We have, we manage about 166 kilometers of trails — four season trails. We understand that we're one of many stakeholders in the region, but we're trying to preserve our viewscapes for the enjoyment of the people that use our trails,' said Duszynski. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Duszynski said there's been logging in the Bragg Creek area before, by a different company that failed to address the group's concerns , but this time it's a much better relationship. 'So we have a mandate with the government — it's called the Master Plan — which is a 10-year expansion program of adding more trails and converting trails that are not all-season. So we've got a major work plan that we have to execute within the next several years,' said Duszynski. 'So through that, West Fraser is helping us collaboratively put their roads in in certain locations so that they can reclaim them afterwards and they make one of our new trails.' View image in full screen Mike Duszynski of Bragg Creek Trails said he's pleased with the changes West Fraser Timber has made so far to it's logging plans. Global News However, not all trail users are pleased with West Fraser's efforts. Story continues below advertisement Jeffrey Woodgate of the Moose Mountain Bike Trail Society said he's 'frustrated.' While he said the company is doing their job to consult with stakeholders, both it and the provincial government have failed to recognize the intrinsic value of the trails. 'They have the opportunity to play this card of social licence where it is recognized how valuable this trail system is to the 2 million plus people that live in the greater Calgary area who this is their only form of wilderness recreation that they can access in under an hour,' said Woodgate. 'So the value of that trail system has to far outweigh the value of the stumpage fees that they're going to be getting from harvesting that zone, both for the government and for the logging company itself.' View image in full screen Jeffrey Woodgate of the Moose Mountain Bike Trail Society said he's 'frustrated' because of the wide-ranging effects logging in the area will have. Global News Woodgate said that while there will be no trails lost in the Moose Mountain area, removing hundreds of hectares of trees from the area will broad ranging effects. Story continues below advertisement 'That's tree cover over our trail system — and our particular soil type is very thin — it doesn't hold moisture well. So anytime they're moving tree cover off there, our ability to build and maintain new trails, or the existing ones, just is greatly diminished,' added Woodgate. 'Also the experience of riding through that tree cover is gone — you are seeing the carnage that's been wrought upon what was a beautiful, essentially virgin forest. It's been growing there for 100 years and you're going to lose that for another 100 years.' His concerns are shared by Shaun Peter of the group Guardians of Recreational Wilderness Society. 'We keep seeing where there's more and more clear-cutting and the government acknowledges the value of the recreation area,' said Peter. 'But then they turn around and they're allowing things to go forward in a way that's going to really damper if not destroy the recreation area in this side. Or the outdoor recreation industry in this area.' Peter estimates the area being clear cut to still be equivalent to about 800 soccer fields. He and other opponents would like to see the area protected just like a park, where people can enjoy recreation in a park-like setting. 'This area wasn't created by the government, it was created by volunteers. Thousands of hours, millions of dollars have been put into this area,' said Peter. Story continues below advertisement 'It was all done through volunteer efforts. They took that recreation area that we built — and now we're destroying it.' West Fraser is planning additional open houses, with logging set to begin in the fall of 2026.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Indiana confirms five more cases in measles outbreak
The measles virus. (Courtesy U.S. Centers for Disease Control) The Indiana Department of Health on Wednesday confirmed five additional cases of the highly infectious measles virus — less than 48 hours after announcing the state's first laboratory-confirmed case this year in an unvaccinated Allen County minor. Because measles is so easily spread, a single case is considered an outbreak. The newly reported cases include three more minors — also unvaccinated. The vaccination status of two infected adults is 'unclear,' according to a news release. 'All six cases are connected to each other but at this time there are no known links to outbreaks in other states,' the department continued. 'State and local public health officials are working together on the investigation to contact those with known exposure to help prevent further spread of infection,' the news release added. It said the risk to the general public 'remains low.' Thomas Duszynski, an epidemiology expert at Indiana University Indianapolis' School of Public Health, said the risk is 'low, but it's not zero.' 'Measles is one of the most infectious organisms on the planet,' he told the Capital Chronicle. A single person with measles passes the virus on to an average of 12-18 people. If those involved in the outbreak are quarantining, the risk to fellow Hoosiers is lower, Duszynski said. But measles symptoms can also take up to 21 days to present, meaning that infected people can spread the virus before realizing they're sick. Symptoms typically include a fever, cough, white bumps inside the mouth and a rash that begins at the hairline and extends down the torso and limbs. The department encouraged Hoosiers experiencing symptoms to stay home and call their doctors 'right away,' before going to the doctor's office. Those with the virus should stay home and away from others. The risk of severe disease is higher in those with immature or compromised immune systems: young children, pregnant women, the elderly and the sick. 'The current outbreak that's going on in the U.S., 70-plus of the 600-plus cases have been hospitalized, and most of those are children under the age of five,' he said. Duszynski warned that measles can also lead to life-threatening complications like pneumonia and brain swelling. Texas health officials have confirmed two measles deaths in unvaccinated school-aged children. Because it's a virus, he said, 'There is no treatment for measles. There's only supportive care.' However, the measles vaccine is among the most effective around. IDOH said one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine provides 93% protection, and the full two-dose course provides 97% protection. Children are routinely vaccinated for measles at 12-15 months old, and again at 4-6 years of age before they go to kindergarten. But children as young as 6 months old can receive the measles vaccine if they are at greater risk. IDOH encouraged residents to check with their health providers and ensure they and their families are up to date with their vaccines. Duszynski said people born before 1957 are considered immune 'because measles was so common prior to that, that almost everybody got measles. And if you were lucky enough to survive, you have lifelong immunity.' But those born 1957-1968 may want to consider a booster. A small percentage of the vaccines given over that time period were of the killed virus — less effective than the live virus vaccine typically used. Those with just one dose may also consider a second. Duszynski noted that 95% of the population must be vaccinated to secure 'herd immunity,' protecting people who cannot get the vaccine, like babies, pregnant women and people allergic to its ingredients. He recommended that people hesitant to get the immunization talk to their doctors. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
