Why are there logs on Vancouver beaches?

After being placed in what some local residents have jokingly called “log jail,” the Vancouver Park Board (VPB) is returning logs to beaches across the city. They were initially removed by VPD staff in mid-March to discourage large gatherings at the beach during the pandemic.

Why are there so many logs on the beach?

Most driftwood is the remains of trees, in whole or part, that have been washed into the ocean, due to flooding, high winds, or other natural occurrences, or as the result of logging. There is also a subset of driftwood known as drift lumber.

Is it illegal to take driftwood from the beach in BC?

Wondering about a desirable piece of wood you’ve found on the beach? People are permitted to take driftwood if it is less than three metres long, if it is for personal use only and not sold, is beach-worn and doesn’t have bark on it and is rounded at both ends.

Why are there logs in the Fraser River?

Sometimes, the log booms are brought into the Fraser River in order to store the wood temporarily in freshwater before shipping overseas. Invariably, some logs roll out of the booms as the tides wash in and out.

What is Ocean logging?

Underwater logging is the process of logging trees from underwater forests. When artificial reservoirs and dams are built, large areas of forest are often inundated; although the trees die, the wood is often preserved. The trees can then be felled using special underwater machinery and floated up to the surface.

Why is driftwood so light?

The outer layers of bark are often stripped out, and boring animals may dig a network of tunnels through the wood. When it washes ashore, driftwood is often extremely light after it dries out, and it can make an excellent source of tinder.

Can you take logs from the beach BC?

Wood in the area of beach that is regularly washed over by the tides is below the high tide line. A Vancouver Log Salvage permit, which has a fee attached, is required to take that wood, according to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

Is it illegal to take rocks from the beach in BC?

Collecting beach rocks as mementos is fine, but if you take them from an ecological reserve you’ll be breaking the law; a lesson recently learned by a CBC reporter. “The removal of any material is prohibited, especially rocks and fossils, any natural object actually and you can be charged,” said Sullivan.

Why are underwater logs so valuable?

Trees become submerged by slipping from a logger’s grasp or by growing in a valley previously dammed for reservoir construction. Very few of these old growth trees remain legally accessible for harvest today, which makes the sinker logs that much more desirable.

Why do they put logs in water?

Storing logs under sprinklers or in a log pond helps prevent end checking and slows deterioration caused by insects, fungal stain, and decay. However, chemical staining can occur under wet conditions. Today, softwood logs decked in the log yard are typically protected by water sprinkling during warm weather.

How much are submerged logs worth?

Commercial retail prices range from two to five dollars per board foot. By the time high-quality sinker cypress wood reaches a California show room, it can range from eight to fourteen dollars per board foot.

Where does logging happen?

Illegal logging accounts for 50-90\% of all forestry activities in key producer tropical forests, such as those of the Amazon Basin, Central Africa and Southeast Asia, and 15-30\% of all wood traded globally*.

What makes Vancouver beaches unique?

Logs: Particularly unique about the Vancouver beaches are the big logs that sit on the sand and made for natural beach backrests. Here are all the beaches in Vancouver along with a brief description, the people that most frequently go to them, and what makes each different from the other.

How did Vancouver get its beachfront property?

Starting in the 1920s, park commissioners made it a priority to incrementally acquire beachfront property that was earlier snapped-up for hotel and private residential development. By the mid-1980s we had acquired full waterfront access along English Bay from Burrard Bridge to Stanley Park and all the waterfront from Spanish Banks to Jericho Beach.

Where is Sunset Beach in Vancouver BC?

Sunset Beach. Sunset Beach is located at the mouth of False Creek on Beach Ave between Bute St and Thurlow St. Close to the West End and Downtown areas of Vancouver. Designated “quiet” beach (no amplified sound). Sunset Beach has a concession, washrooms, pay parking, summer lifeguards, and a volleyball court.

Are there any beaches in Vancouver with lifeguards?

Unless otherwise noted in the individual descriptions of the beaches below, here’s some helpful general info about Vancouver beaches: Lifeguards: Vancouver beaches have lifeguards from late May to the beginning of September. Facilities: There are water fountains, public washrooms, and outdoor freshwater showers.