April 30, 1996

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the Carma

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eep in the heart of the Carmanah Valley, amidst the clear moun’

surrounded by hundreds of cedar trees, lays a clearcut area, burnt and fo!

is completely silent except for the sound of Karen Ackerman’s shove

the soft, moist earth. It is a time for renewal in this forsaken land. Tre

been planted, seeming miniscule against the shrivelled, burnt tree s tl

As an employee of Hillcroft Contracting, a forestry compan

_ by MacMillan Bloedel, Karen has many responsibilities which ¢

in a fixed title. Today, as I join Karen on a typical day of work, hq

to check and survey freshly planted trees and admir

treeplanting contract, which means settin

contract and checking its progre
day is devoted to a contrac
Heartwood Holdings, owned

 

Klein. :
The day begins with a 4:15 am wake-up call, and
just enough time to shower and grab a large cup of coffe
heading out onto the logging roads. I am sporting a
polypropylene, combined with wool socks, a Sta
sweater, leggings, a baseball hat, and caulk boots. ]
chic, we head out. As we bounce along the rough,
ridden roads, Karen explains the itinerary for th
few hours at the office to clear up inventory, a
we’re out into the wilds. As we drive, Karen
_ washed Dodge Dakota gradually collects mud,
_ other indescribable objects. “This baby is my lif
___ says Karen, patting her radio, “It is impera
_ one with the roads being so narrow,