Region Archives: Canada West

The following is an edited version of a letter sent to Derek Lefler, district manager with FLNRORD and shared with the Coast Reporter. I am disheartened by the Timber Supply Review you had conducted via Zoom on Feb. 17. The presentations and format of this event indicate that for FLNRORD it is business as usual: i) continue to clear-cut as much forest as has always been done and ii) public input is not encouraged, as the review format did not allow for genuine discussions and follow-up questions. …The timber harvesting approach used presently by FLNRORD is based on current practices, thus what was done in the past, harvesting volumes above sustainable levels, will also be good for the future. However, climate change is here and cutting trees based on current practices is clearly not the way to go forward. The changing climate does not allow this. 

Five big timber companies hold the future of nearly half of BC’s at-risk old-growth forests in their hands, according to a report by Stand.Earth. …“Unlike the B.C. government’s messaging, these forests are not yet protected,” said Tegan Hansen, a forest campaigner. …”By looking at the tree cover of old-growth forests and the province’s annual allowable cut, researchers found 10 logging companies were responsible for an estimated 57 per cent of the risk to old-growth forests. The five biggest companies — Canfor, West Fraser, Western Forest Products, Tolko and Interfor — were responsible for 47 per cent. …“By mapping [these areas] and stating their intention to stop harvest, but failing to actually defer them, the B.C. government has essentially advertised to timber companies… ‘Come log while you can,’” said Hansen. …The B.C. Ministry of Forests… [said it] will provide a progress update on old-growth deferrals in the coming weeks.

Board directors from the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary met virtually at the end of February, discussing several topics including old-growth logging, local homelessness issues, and regional statistics released as part of the Canadian census. …Delegate Dr. Rachel Holt, of Nelson, addressed the board. Holt is a provincial old-growth forestry expert who was hired by the Province of BC to help map old- growth forests. Less than 11 million hectares of old growth is left; 400,000 hectares of that is very large old growth. She spoke about the provincial old-growth logging deferral, which is a temporary measure to halt the decline of old trees and their ecosystems. Holt said British Columbia must change how forests are managed as they are vital and essential for biodiversity, carbon storage, watershed and climate change.

I have been following with dismay, the subject articles about the Catalyst Paper Tis’kwat mill’s demise. I was hoping to see more news and/or government comment about this closure and the almost four-decade decline in finished forest product production in Canada, and particularly here in BC. …The decline in the forest industry manufacturing and processing sector has more to do with the extra profit that can be made by processing our raw logs overseas, than a shortage of fibre or reduction in overall demand. …If the founders of the Powell River mill or HR MacMillan were still at the helm, I am sure the mill would have had sufficient capitalization and lumber reserves to retool the machinery and stay relevant in a changing marketplace.

Richmond, BC – Paper Excellence announced today its $50,000 donation to the Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship Fund operated by Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business (CCAB). The Indigenous Women Entrepreneurship Fund provides grants to Indigenous women-owned businesses who may lack access to conventional financing. To qualify for the program, businesses must be at least 51% owned and controlled by an Indigenous…woman and be registered in Canada. “Paper Excellence is focused on building beneficial business partnerships and supporting community investment with initiatives that focus on business capacity, education, health and culture, and sustainability projects,” said Graham Kissack, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety, and Corporate Communications. “Thanks to the recent research (Oct 2021) carried out by our partners at CCAB, we know that Indigenous women entrepreneurs across Canada have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, and we see stepping up and supporting these economic initiatives as one way to live out our Commitment to Indigenous Peoples.”

Jennifer Gunter

Ty and Julie sit down with the Executive Director of the BC Community Forest Association, Jennifer Gunter. If you’re curious about what a community forest is, the benefits they can have, and how to advocate for one in your community – then this episode is for you! Tune in to learn more from one of the most recognized names in BC Community Forestry.

On Feb. 8, 2022, Lees & Associates presented the results of the online survey, workshops and stakeholder interviews to North Cowichan council. For the sake of clarity, I have included the exact text of the report summary. This text was vetted by municipal staff, the Citizen’s Public Engagement Working Group, Lees and Associates & the UBC Partnership. These are the key takeaways: “The importance of protecting and enhancing the ecological benefits of the Municipal Forest Reserve (MFR) was a strong theme. …Many expressed that the MFR is a valued recreational asset and are in favour of forest management that supports hiking, biking, walking, ATVing, and horsebackriding. …Many community members expressed concern about harvesting practices… Concern about climate change, and the impacts of wildfires, flooding and extreme weather emerged as a key theme.

Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad voiced sharp criticism for the creation of the new B.C. Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship. The criticism came after B.C. Premier John Horgan appointed Josie Osborne to head the new ministry. …“The new ministry for land stewardship reflects the fact that natural resources are foundational to our province and they are the backbone of many local economies,” Horgan said. …Rustad begged to differ. …“At a time when communities, loggers, contractors, employers, workers and First Nations are all looking for stability, John Horgan and the NDP have decided that adding uncertainty and more bureaucracy is the way to go,” Rustad said. …Rustad blamed NDP policy decisions for making BC the “highest-cost jurisdiction in North America.”

BANFF – From bears to birds, many animals rely on the nutritious seeds of endangered whitebark pine trees as a critical food source. The Clark’s nutcracker, which is responsible for most whitebark pine dispersal and regeneration, uses its long, sharp bill to rip apart cones for the seeds to eat and store for winter and spring when other food is scarce. …Squirrels and bears are also a cool part of the ecological relationship with whitebark pine trees. Red squirrels store seeds in underground middens. …In many areas, including in several locations in Banff National Park, grizzly bears have learned to raid these middens to devour the nutritious seeds. …Threats to whitebark pine include white pine blister rust, which is a fungus introduced from Europe around 1910, and attack by native mountain pine beetle. …To speed up efforts to save the endangered species, two seed orchards have been established in B.C. to essentially clone whitebark pine.

NOOTKA SOUND, BC — A three-year riparian restoration project conducted by the Nootka Sound Watershed Society (NSWS) is nearing completion. After being awarded a project worth $904,010 from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Coastal Restoration Fund, the NSWS has coordinated the planning, implementation and monitoring of silviculture treatments… near Tahsis… Zeballos and… Oclucje. …The purpose of this project is to contribute to the restoration of salmon populations by creating habitat and environmental features that are critical to salmon, a press release from the NSWS says. This was done using a variety of forestry practices to improve bank stability and salmon habitat. The NSWS hired Strategic Natural Resource Consultants to oversee the project with direction from its governing board and Western Forest Products. Over 135 hectares of riparian area received silviculture treatments.

Few other communities have a living legacy like the Garry oak forest in the Comox Valley. Dispersed between Ships Point and Smith Road as well as on Denman and Hornby Island remain patches of a cultural ecosystem. “The scattered majestic oaks still standing alone in today’s fields north of the river and the few native Garry oak groves surviving amid second growth conifer forests are all that remain of the ancient indigenous cultivation,” said Bill Henderson. Sacred to the god of thunder, Garry oak trees in vast camas meadows were vital to the women who managed them as a food source. Fires caused by lightning were fundamental to the health of huge oak forests and replicated by the First Nations’ people before the arrival of Europeans. …In 2019, one of the Garry oaks at the nearby Comox Valley Sports Centre site won the Tree of the Year award. 

Barry Saxifrage

…global warming is altering the climate much faster here than in more southern forests. These rapid climate shifts are unleashing more wildfires, droughts and insects. The province’s magnificent forest is one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet. …Decades ago, B.C.’s forest absorbed huge amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. Its carbon sink provided an immensely valuable service to Canadians and its logging industry. Sadly, that’s now gone. Instead, the forest has transitioned over the last two decades into emitting CO2. And the wood harvested from it has been piling millions of tonnes more of CO2 on top of that.  …the data shows that in every year since 2002, harvested wood emitted more CO2 than the forest removed from the air. more wood was being logged than the forest was growing back. …Does this sound like sustainable logging to you? And does logging a forest that is hemorrhaging CO2 sound “carbon-neutral”? 

With old-growth harvesting on pause until at least the end of the year, the Cheakamus Community Forest (CCF) is looking ahead to other possible revenue generators—including a greater focus on its carbon sequestration program and logging mature and second-growth trees. The CCF board hosted an open house Feb. 28, giving the public its first look at the proposed harvest plans for 2022. Co-managed by the Resort Municipality of Whistler, the Lil’wat Nation, and the Squamish Nation, the CCF hasn’t seen much commercial logging in recent years. Last June, in the midst of rising local opposition following the high-profile blockades at Fairy Creek, the board decided to defer what few plans it had to log old-growth trees last year—the first old growth that would have been harvested since 2018. That will continue through at least the end of this year, as the board looks to diversify the CCF’s revenue streams.

By John Deal, BCSPCA

The BC SPCA highlighted the plight of many endangered species on World Wildlife Day (March 3). According to the BC SPCA, more than 8,400 species of wild animals and plants are critically endangered, while close to 30,000 more are endangered or vulnerable – including several in BC. The Vancouver Island marmot is found in only a few small mountainous pockets on the big island. The marmots are one of only a few mammals exclusive to Canada. …Although resilient, these marmots are critically endangered – with fewer than 30 in the wild in 2004. Their decline is still a mystery, but is suggested to be due to a change in predator-prey dynamics because of ongoing landscape changes. …The northern spotted owl is one of Canada’s most endangered species – fewer than a dozen still live in B.C. The owls rely on old-growth forests to roost, nest and hunt. Their decline is due to habitat loss from ongoing logging and human disturbances.

A legal non-profit is taking the province to court to have gates and other barriers removed from several access roads near Port Renfrew so scientists can study wildlife and birds in the area. Ecojustice filed suit on behalf of Royann Petrell, associate professor emerita at the University of B.C., challenging the legality of at least eight road closures granted by the B.C. Ministry of Forests in Tree Farm Licence 46, which includes Fairy Creek, site of ongoing protests against old-growth logging. In a statement, Petrell noted the work done by scientists and citizens in forests is important for the protection of the province’s wildlife. “The B.C. government doesn’t generally know where endangered birds and other wildlife are located. Citizen-scientists like me are trying to fill that gap before the province’s few remaining areas of old-growth forest are logged,” she said. 

See the Ecojustice press release here. 

A Victoria-based company that uses technology developed for video games to create three-dimensional replicas of real-world locations has partnered with more than a dozen First Nations on digital models of their territories. LlamaZOO also markets its technology to mining and forestry companies, but its program called “Guardian” is developed for First Nations looking to visualize information about their territories in a central, virtual hub. Robin Billy is the director of operations for the Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc First Nation, one of 15 First Nations currently using Guardian. He sees the technology as an important tool the nation can use both for its own purposes and in discussions with the province and the resource industry. …Both Billy and LlamaZOO CEO and president Charles Lavigne talked about Guardian as a way to “level the playing field” between First Nations, government and industry. 

Jordan Coble

In 2021, the Mount Law wildfire near West Kelowna scorched 976 hectares of land. …the wildfire burned for over 19 days before crews contained the spread. Miraculously, only one structure was damaged. Favourable weather and dedicated firefighters managed to control the blaze, but the groundwork for keeping the area relatively unscathed was laid by Westbank First Nation (WFN) years before the first tree caught flame. …This boots-on-the-ground approach to wildfire mitigation is a part of syilx (Okanagan) culture and has been around for “years and years and years,” according to WFN councillor and NRLP president Jordan Coble. …While Dave Gill, the general manager of WFN-owned NRLP, acknowledged there isn’t a cookie-cutter approach to managing a community forest and developing a wildfire mitigation plan, he said the recipe is to gather local stakeholders and First Nations to come up with a unique strategy that reflects community needs.

Victoria-based Kwakwaka’wakw artist Rande Cook enjoys sharing stories about the “tree of life” in his culture. Also known as the cedar tree, it was the focus of his master’s thesis at the University of Victoria, which he completed last year. …That’s the subject of a B.C. film, Before They Fall, which is screening at this year’s Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival. Directed by Cam William MacArthur, it brings forth the voices of Cook, Finding the Mother Tree author Suzanne Simard, forest photographer T J Watt, and the land defenders at Fairy Creek to bring forth their perspectives. While researching his master’s thesis, Cook was struck by Simard’s scientific research into how trees communicate with one another—and how that mirrored what he was taught growing up in Alert Bay off northern Vancouver Island.

March 1 marked the start of wildfire season in Alberta. The season runs through Oct. 31. “Our priority is keeping Albertans and our communities safe. We continue to explore new technology and innovative wildland firefighting programs to evaluate what we need in Alberta’s wildfire management tool kit,” says Nate Horner, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development. “We’re ready for whatever this summer throws at us.” More than 60 per cent of wildfires last year in 2021 were human-caused, according to the province. …“As a community with many green spaces and forested areas, particularly with many close to residential areas, we closely monitor signs of increased risk of wildfires in Red Deer from spring to fall,” says Shane Dussault, Assistant Fire Marshal, Red Deer Emergency Services.

There are concerns about how much timber could soon be coming from forests around Prince Albert. The four island forests — Canwood, Nisbet, Fort-a-la-Corne and Torch River provincial forests – cover more than half a million acres and are in the northern portion of the agricultural zone. The management plan to guide the future protection and logging of the forests was released for public consultation back in October 2021, seven years after studies by the provincial Forest Service began. The 2021 plan considers significant reductions in wood supply due to recent wildfires and the need to remove some land from the forested land base. In addition, it recommends a 37 per cent reduction in the allowable cut from what was proposed in the old plan from 2016. …A formal decision from Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Environment is expected in the coming months.

Have you ever wanted to know the exact location, height, species, and diameter of every single sidewalk tree in Vancouver? Well you’re in luck. Found on the City of Vancouver’s website the street tree dataset includes detailed information on the 151,238 trees found on sidewalks and boulevards across the city. Data provided includes the closest cross street and neighbourhood the tree can be found in and for those who need even more specifics most have their specific geographic coordinates included. The map is not entirely all-encompassing, as park and private trees are not included, but it does refresh daily. However, tree attributes are generally not updated on a regular basis and it may be several years between updates. …The data set also includes the dates when many of the trees were planted going back over 30 years.