BC’s logging practices called out by Comox Valley group

BC’s logging practices called out by Comox Valley group

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BC’s logging practices called out by Comox Valley group

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Braving a brisk, cold wind on Nov. 8, supporters of Save Our Forests Team – Comox Valley (SOFT-CV) rallied outside Claire Trevena’s office in Campbell River to protest the provincial government’s continued logging of the last stands of productive old growth on the island.

In addition to two public surveys conducted in July, the province recently commissioned a two-person panel to travel throughout BC and gather more information about residents’ attitudes regarding old growth logging.

But, according to SOFT-CV, neither panel member is an independent expert.

“They are shills who have business connections within the timber industry and are primarily interested in economic development,” Megan Ardyche, an organizer of the protest, said.

One day before the protest, Premier John Horgan was in the Comox Valley for a ceremony breaking ground on a new long-term care facility.

SOFT-CV members asked Horgan if the province had any plans to stop logging productive old growth on the island in the face of the climate crisis.

“Well, there’s a strike happening right now, so nothing’s being logged,” Horgan told a member of the group.

Monica Hofer, a member of SOFT-CV, then expressed her concerns regarding old growth logging to Horgan.

“What would you have me do?” he said. “If we don’t log, we’ll be fighting court battles with countries which we’ve signed agreements with about log exports. That’d cost millions of dollars and eat into the provincial health care budget.”

Pat Carl is a frequent contributor to the Comox Valley Civic Journalism Project. She can be reached at pat.carl0808@gmail.com

 

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5 days left to influence BC’s key forest practices legislation

5 days left to influence BC’s key forest practices legislation

Photo from the Ancient Forest Alliance

5 days left to influence BC’s key forest practices legislation

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The BC Government is seeking public input on proposed changes to the Forest and Range Practices Act, the main piece of legislation governing forest practices in BC. These amendments will focus on issues like climate change, biodiversity, government oversight, and public trust in forestry management decisions.

This is a rare and critical opportunity for British Columbians speak up for science-based protection of BC’s endangered old-growth forests!

Introduced in 2004, the Forest and Range Practices Act (FRPA) reduced government accountability and oversight and put the fox (timber industry) in charge of the henhouse (BC’s public lands, including rare and endangered old-growth forests). It also prioritizes timber supply over all other forest management objectives and includes loopholes around old-growth protection big enough to drive a logging truck through! The results have been a disaster and BC’s ancient forest ecosystems, biodiversity, climate, and communities are paying the price.

Now is our chance to demand bold and sweeping changes to this outdated law.

Read more of this story from the Ancient Forest Alliance newsletter where you’ll find a link to provide online feedback on this issue.

 

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Vancouver Island old growth faces a bleak future, say speakers

Vancouver Island old growth faces a bleak future, say speakers

The clear at Avatar Grove, near Port Renfrew  /   Photos by Diane and Jay Van Oostdam

Vancouver Island old growth faces a bleak future, say speakers

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A Friday night crowd of 100 listened intently as speakers from Sierra Club BC and the Wilderness Committee illustrated the grim reality of what remains of old growth forest on Vancouver Island.

The shocked audience often sighed audibly as the speakers showed photos of recently clear-cut old growth and pointed out the roads already built to more easily harvest much of the rest.

Vancouver Island’s coastal temperate rainforest is a unique system, according to Mark Worthing of the Sierra Club, one that is disappearing at the astonishing rate of 34 soccer fields per day. Less than 10 percent of the original 3 million hectares of old growth forest still exists on the Island and SW mainland.

“Because of the climate crisis,” Worthing claims, “business as usual isn’t an option. Trees are the tools we need to fight the climate crisis.”

Diane Van Oostdam standing in front of Big Lonely Doug — Height: 70.2 meters/230 feet. Circumference: 11.91 meters/39 feet

Torrance Coste from the Wilderness Committee claims that old growth and even second growth forests are our best “offense and defense’ against climate change. Because the audience members benefit from BC government-owned timber sales, we all are responsible for the demise of old growth forests, according to Coste.

A third speaker, Stacy Harper, a graduate student at Royal Rhodes, is writing about the astonishing gift the Cumberland Forest Society made to its community when it purchased 110 hectares of forest near the township.

“Since Cumberland members have long been involved in the forestry economy, they have a special attachment to those 110 hectares,” Harper said.

he community has altered its relationship with the forest; while once the community harvested the forest, it now protects the forest. In interviewing one community member, Harper was told that when the government ‘owns’ the forest, it can do what it wants. When we own the forest, we can protect it.

Following the presentations, Galen Armstrong, a lead organizer at Sierra Club BC, fielded questions for the speakers. One question echoed the frustration many attendees felt who think assertive direct action is needed to save old growth and second growth forests and to fight climate change.

Both Coste and Worthing explained that their present positions require that they work within the legal and political guidelines provided by their organizations. But in his experience, Coste has found that “civil disobedience is the sound of not being heard,” which resonated with many of those in attendance.

Comox Valley residents Diane and Jay Van Oostdam recently traveled to the Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew. Their photos illustrate the assault on old growth forests in BC.

Pat Carl is a contributor to the Comox Valley Civic Journalism Project

This article has been updated to state Vancouver Island originally had 3 million hectares of old growth forest, not 360,000 hectares.

 

 

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