Mistik’s Logging and Hauling Operations division is tasked with extracting the forest fibre resource for its two parent companies (NorSask and Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp) and delivering it to their production facilities. Our company accomplishes this task by utilizing a strong work force comprised of individuals mainly from the area in and around the City of Meadow Lake. The majority of our contractor companies also hire their staff from the surrounding communities such as Leoville, Buffalo Narrows, Pierceland, Waterhen Lake, Beauval, Big River, Canoe Lake, Goodsoil, etc.
Log and haul operational processes can be broken down as follows:
- Block and Road Layout – most block perimeters and road center lines are marked with flagging tape. The use of GPS and other technology greatly assists forestry staff with completing this task.
- Felling – this is the process of cutting the tree down. This is done with a feller buncher.
- Skidding – this is the process of moving the felled tree from the stump to the location near the road with a grapple skidder.
- Processing – this is the process of turning the tree into a log. Logs must be within mill specifications for length and have defects, limbs, and tops removed, This is done with a processer.
- Road Building – roads of various classes have to be built in order to haul the logs to the mills. The three primary pieces of equipment used for this are a dozer, an excavator, and a grader.
- Watercourse Crossings – Mistik has to cross watercourses of varying sizes with roads. Several methods are used to do this including installing culverts, bridges, brush matts, ice bridges, etc. All watercourse crossings have to follow the requirements of applicable federal and provincial legislation, and the Aquatic Habitat Protection Permit (AHPP) that the Ministry of Environment issues each year.
- Hauling – Mistik has to move the logs from the harvest area (e.g. cut blocks) to the mills. This is done using two types of equipment – log loaders and log haul trucks.
- Road Reclamation – in most cases after the logs have been removed from the harvest areas and brought to the mills, the road that was created to do this is no longer needed and can be turned back into being part of the productive forest land base. The two primary types of equipment used to do this are a dozer and an excavator.
- Slash Abatement – tree debris (limbs and tops) is created during the processing stage at roadside. Depending on the type of tree species, this debris will either be spread back in the harvest area, piled, and burned, or used in the road reclamation process. Excess slash may impede the regeneration of the harvest area so this is important for renewal success.
- Scaling – all logs that are delivered to the mills must be tracked. When a log haul truck brings a load of logs into one of the mills it has to be weighed to get the net weight of the load in metric tonnes. Periodically, loads are flagged to be used as sample loads that will be individually scaled in the mill log yard in order to get a conversion of tonnes of wood to cubic meters (mass to volume). This is a very important process that is required because volume is used to calculate payments to contractors, the province for crown dues and fees, and private landowners.
The Ministry of Environment monitors all of Mistik’s activities. Mistik also has an intensive self-inspection program that is implemented throughout the operating year for all aspects of our operations.