It looks like logging will go ahead this month in the Browns Creek area west of Vernon. On Monday, a BC Supreme Court Justice accepted Tolko Industries proposal to allow archaeological work by the Okanagan Indian Band, followed by logging. Tolko's Okanagan Woodlands Manager Mark Tamas says harvesting could start in two weeks. "Tolko was granted the injunction today to prevent interference with our harvesting operations. These operations will commence once we've completed further archaeological work in the area but we do welcome the direction the court has provided both parties." Okanagan Band Chief Fabian Alexis says his group is disappointed they won't get a longer period to collect their samples but they don't plan to stop the harvesting. "Yes Tolko can log, but they can't log just yet. There needs to be this archaeological work done. They're calling it AOA, an archaeological overview assessment." Alexis agrees with Tamas that logging could start in two weeks but says they haven't ruled out legal appeals at this point. The band and Okanagan Nation Alliance are concerned the logging could destroy important native artificats in the watershed, that will be used in another logging related court battle over aboriginal title that dates back to 1999.
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