Canadian Tree-Spikers Called `Terrorists'

VICTORIA, British Columbia - Environmentalists who engage in tree spiking are "terrorists" who should be declared criminals under Canadian law, British Columbia Forests Minister Dan Miller said.

Miller called claims by some environmentalists that tree-spiking, the drilling of a spike into a tree to foul saws, is not dangerous to loggers "utter nonsense."

Miller, a former forestry worker, said last week he once witnessed a mill saw shatter when it hit a chain link embedded in a log. "I know workers personally who were injured when that saw broke into many, many pieces," he said.

"Tree spiking is quite simply violence against people," Miller said.

"I call on the many responsible environmental groups in British Columbia to seek out these environmental terrorists who would undermine their efforts," he said.

But Paul Watson, founder of the Vancouver-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, said tree-spiking is a proven, effective method for fighting loggers.

"No one has ever been hurt by a tree spike," said Watson, who admits to spiking trees in the past.

"I think it's really sad that our planet is dying but this is the only thing our politicians get excited about."

This month, a logger cutting trees in British Columbia's Walbran Valley on Vancouver Island hit a spike with his chain saw. He wasn't injured.

Workers armed with metal detectors later found 34 other spikes embedded in other trees.

Watson said he knows the people who spiked the trees.

"About 2,000 spikes were drilled in the Walbran about two years ago," he said.

Trees destined for pulp mills are also sometimes injected with plastic to plug up mill machinery.

Watson said the spikes and plastic don't harm the trees and added that workers are protected from flying metal by chain guards on chain saws and safety screens in mills.

Watson said he began spiking trees in the early '80s but stopped when the province made it illegal.

Tree spiking is punishable in British Columbia by up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.