Region Archives: Canada West

The last time we took a deep look at the forest industry in BC, in May, we noted, “At this point, the outlook of BC’s forest sector is full of red ink and red flags,” and,“The current policy environment has been anything but stable and anything but clear.” We went on to note that Premier David Eby had appointed Langley MLA Andrew Mercier as Minister of State for Sustainable Forestry Innovation. Mercier’s official mandate letter from the Premier spells out that there is a need to increase fibre supply, aimed at keeping people working and local operations running, while also mitigating wildfire risks and reducing climate emissions. So what’s been happening?

The City of Vancouver and a contractor are facing a lawsuit by advocates over a plan that would see up to a third of the trees in Stanley Park cut down. The city’s park board had begun cutting down thousands of trees last summer in a bid to mitigate what it said was “imminent” fire and public safety risks posed by dead and dying trees that were affected by a Western hemlock looper moth infestation. …However, four advocates from the Stanley Park Preservation Society say the park board’s plan is not backed up by science and was pushed through without appropriate consultation. They have filed a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court alleging the city and its contractor B.A. Blackwell & Associates was negligent in going ahead with the tree-cutting plan. …The city states that they have planted over 25,000 seedlings in the park comprising a variety of species, as part of their reforestation efforts.

CEO Letter: The First Nations Forestry Council and all our Nations continue to work towards being full participants in all facets of forestry, and we are making progress by being in the rooms and sitting at the tables. We attended some excellent conferences and want to acknowledge the efforts of all the organizations to showcase First Nations content, highlighting both successes and challenges. Through these interactions, we are developing stronger relationships that allow us to have hard conversations. I see that we are not just saying we will work together, but we are all at the table, truly collaborating to develop shared decisions. 

Other stories include:

• 2024 BC First Nations Forestry Conference Feedback
• Thank you to all who attended the 2024 BC First Nations Forestry Conference!
• First Annual Youth Forestry Conference a Success
• First Annual Youth Forestry Conference a Success

Drought-like conditions in Banff National Park have led to a fire ban being issued – meaning no campfires starting on Saturday. Lighting or maintaining fires is prohibited in the park effective July 13 at 12:01 a.m., Parks Canada announced in a news release Friday. The ban includes all front and backcountry campgrounds. “After several days of hot, dry weather, Banff is experiencing drought-like conditions,” Parks Canada said. “This fire ban is to ensure the safety of visitors, and residents, and for the protection of park infrastructure.” …While naturally occurring wildfires, like ones caused by lightning strikes, cannot be avoided, Parks Canada asked everyone to do their part to prevent human-caused fires. …Earlier this week, Alberta Wildfire announced a fire ban for the entirety of the province’s Forest Protection Area.

When the B.C. NDP was re-elected in 2020… one of the pillars of the party’s campaign was a promise to implement “the full slate” of recommendations an expert panel known as the Old Growth Strategic Review had made that same year. …Instead, the last several years have followed an all-too-familiar pattern: while the province fumbles on its commitments, old growth falls; forest defenders are arrested; mills close; and ecosystems are pushed further toward the brink of collapse by major timber companies. …The places left disproportionately open to logging are the same places where private logging companies like West Fraser and Canfor are targeting old growth right now. …With just a few months before B.C. goes to the polls again, time is running out for the NDP to recommit to its 2020 promises and rebuild the trust of a voter base that continues to overwhelmingly support old growth protections. 

Vernon, BC — Vernon Fire Chief David Lind likens the Interior B.C. city’s new artificial-intelligence-driven wildfire detection system to a fire alarm in the forest. The system involves cameras and scores of air sensors scattered among trees and other high points, collecting data that is fed into an AI system for analysis. Its creator, Vancouver-based tech firm SenseNet, says it warns firefighters when it detects a pattern indicative of ignition and allows for a response within minutes instead of an hour or more when using traditional visual detection. “It’s an exciting technology in that it’s really applying almost that fire-alarm system that we see in large buildings, where you’ve got every section of the building covered by some type of a monitor feeding back into a system that provides early notification to everyone … and almost taking that and applying it in an outdoors setting,” Lind said.

If there’s one constant in Prince George, it’s our influx of tree planters and brushers every summer. … Young, fresh-eyed big-city-looking kids out on the frontier doing their big Canadian experience: Colonizing the landscape with industrial plantations of pine and spruce trees to starve out moose and make fires worse. …I highly doubt the majority of them know what it is they are doing. Not in the sense that they don’t know how to plant trees, but more like what the big-picture result of their labour will be. …Our forest industry is brainwashing entire generations of young Canadians about what has worth in our forests and what doesn’t. Many tree planters go on to have careers in journalism, literature, academia, and philosophy. We should not underestimate how tree planting is contributing to the intellectual corruption of our elite.

Twenty-one years after the spotted owl was listed as endangered under Canada’s Species at Risk Act, the federal government released a proposed recovery strategy identifying critical habitat for the old-growth forest dependent owl. The strategy reinstates about 200,000 hectares of the owl’s critical habitat in southwest B.C. that was quietly erased from maps in a draft recovery strategy last year. …The updated recovery strategy includes an additional 200,000 hectares of spotted owl critical habitat that was not erased from maps — for a total of 416,258 hectares of critical habitat on federal and non-federal lands. The environmental law charity Ecojustice, non-profit conservation group the Wilderness Committee and Spô’zêm First Nation hailed the updated recovery strategy as a “game-changer for conservation efforts” for the spotted owl and a “historic win.” …The release of the proposed recovery strategy launches a 60-day consultation period. A final recovery strategy will be published once consultations are complete.

Additional coverage by Stefan Labbé, the Wilderness Committee, Ecojustice, and the Government of Canada Strategy document.

VANCOUVER – British Columbia’s emergency management minister says the province is proactively working to secure extra firefighters to deal with what she called the “potential for a drastically accelerated wildfire situation.” Bowinn Ma told a briefing on Thursday that B.C. was seeking out-of-province help from six unit crews representing about 180 specialized wildfire fighters. Ma said about 500 of the province’s full complement of 2,000 firefighters were currently deployed, but the province was seeking outside help early as the situation worsened due to a heat wave and ongoing dry conditions. …Wildfire activity has been erupting in recent days, with about 150 active wildfires in B.C., up from fewer than 100 at the start of the week. Ma said most were in the Cariboo and northeast regions, and while some of the the province had benefited from cooler and wetter weather in May and June, the fire season was “well underway” in the north.

Following a stretch of high temperatures and several heat warnings throughout the province, and with potentially challenging wildfire weather forecast, the BC Wildfire Service is implementing a campfire ban in all parts of B.C., except Haida Gwaii. The ban will take effect at noon (Pacific time) on Friday, July 12, 2024, and will remain until further notice. The ban is being implemented to help prevent human-caused wildfires and help protect public safety. The category 1 (campfires) ban is in addition to current provincewide bans for category 2 and 3 fires. This means open fires of any size, except those licensed for prescribed burns, will be prohibited everywhere in B.C., outside of Haida Gwaii. Anyone found in contravention of an open-burning prohibition may be issued a violation ticket for $1,150, may be required to pay an administrative penalty of up to $10,000 or, if convicted in court, may be fined up to $100,000 and/or sentenced to one year in jail. 

SWAN RIVER, AB — Swan River First Nation (SRFN) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) are pleased to announce the signing of a Relationship and Collaboration Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at advancing boreal forest conservation initiatives within Treaty 8 Territory. This MOU represents a significant step towards fostering a mutually respectful and collaborative partnership dedicated to preserving the ecological and cultural integrity of the boreal forest while integrating the deep knowledge and experience Swan River residents hold in the local landscape. Under this MOU, key projects will blend SRFN’s Indigenous Knowledge with DUC’s scientific expertise, building a more sustainable environment. Projects include the development of a wetland field guide and climate change modeling initiatives, which will integrate Indigenous content and perspectives.

TAYLOR, B.C. – The District of Taylor has joined the District of Chetwynd in supporting a letter to be sent to the BC Government regarding the province’s forestry sector. During the July 8th regular council meeting, Mayor Brent Taillefer and councillors reviewed the letter sent from Chetwynd, written in support of a May 28th letter from the District of Campbell River. “Our small community of Chetwynd has already directly experienced the permanent loss of many local jobs with the closure of our Canfor mill,” Chetwynd Mayor Allen Courtoreille wrote in the letter. The letter urges Ministry of Forests Bruce Ralston and the province to increase support for the ongoing crisis facing B.C.’s forestry sector and speaks of Chetwynd’s historic and ongoing struggles to support the industry amidst mill closures.

A group of four Vancouverites is suing the city over its controversial move to cut down thousands of trees in Stanley Park. The Vancouver Park Board began removing the trees in late 2023, saying they were dead or dying because of a hemlock looper moth infestation. So far, about 7,200 trees have been cut down. The civil suit, filed Thursday, alleges negligence on the part of the park board, the City of Vancouver, the city’s urban forestry manager and consulting group Blackwell and Associates. …“We believe very strongly that the defendants … have been negligent in conducting a logging operation in Stanley Park,” said Michael Caditz, one of the four self-represented plaintiffs. …It claims staff failed to cite “credible science” for why the removal is necessary, and made “no attempt to employ … less-extreme methods” or “obtain corroborating opinions” from experts other than Blackwell.

VICTORIA – The BC Forest Practices Board has published its 2023-2024 annual report, marking 28 years of commitment to improving forest and range practices across British Columbia. The report provides an in-depth overview of the Board’s accomplishments over the past fiscal year, addressing key issues and setting strategic priorities for the future. …Statement from Board Chair Keith Atkinson: “As the independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices in British Columbia, we are proud to present this overview of our work during the 2023-2024 fiscal year. This year has been transformative, with significant advancements in forest management practices and increased engagement with Indigenous communities. Our goal is to achieve resilient forest conditions that remain healthy amid changing climate conditions and meet the needs and interests of our communities. We remain committed to advancing practices that benefit all of society and ensuring that our forests thrive for generations to come.”

A province-wide campfire ban is set to take effect at noon Friday, July 12, 2024, as wildfire risk rises along with temperatures. The B.C. Wildfire Service announced the ban Tuesday. The campfire ban will apply to every area of the province except the Haida Gwaii Forest District, “which has a somewhat different climate than many other areas,” said Jade Richardson, an information officer for the Coastal Fire Centre, which includes Vancouver Island. The ban applies to all public and private land, except when otherwise specified by a local government bylaw or other statute. It will remain in effect until noon on Oct. 31, or until it is rescinded.

A Conservation North webinar planned for Monday will look at the effects of salvage logging on wildlife, communities and the climate. The session, Gaming The Ecosystem: The Truth About Salvage Logging, will feature a panel of five experts to talk about the issues. They include Dakelh strategic advisor Seraphine Munroe of the Maiyoo Keyoh Society, and Drs. Karen Price, Diana Six, Phil Burton and Dominick DellaSala. The B.C. government streamlined the process of salvage logging this spring, which has alarmed members of the public and groups concerned about watershed health and nature, states a press release. …The webinar will be hosted by the Interior Watershed Task Force, the Fraser Headwaters Alliance, Conservation North (all volunteer-based community groups) and Wildsight (an environmental non-governmental organization).

A fire ban is now in place for all of Alberta’s Forest Protection Areas (FRA). The fire ban came into effect at 4 p.m. on July 10 as a result of hot and dry conditions. Since July 1, 137 new wildfires have ignited and there’s heightened wildfire danger throughout the province. Cities, towns, villages and summer villages, as well as federal lands, such as national parks, are exempt from this ban. These jurisdictions have the authority to issue their own bans and may have complementary bans in place. Albertans should visit the website or social media for their local municipality to confirm if a fire ban is in effect in their area.

Additional coverage by the CBC: Alberta issues fire ban for entire forest protection area as extreme temperatures continue

New rules for dispute resolution will help support settle conflicts between the Province and First Nations about environmental assessments, a significant milestone in the ongoing commitment to reconciliation and environmental stewardship. The Environmental Assessment Office’s (EAO) dispute resolution regulation offers predictable and clear avenues for First Nations to dispute decisions related to large projects that require an environmental assessment certificate. It provides an alternative to the courts to resolve conflict and support durable decisions, relationship and trust building, and can help avoid lengthy court battles. Access to dispute resolution is affirmed in Article 40 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN Declaration) and is a procedural right for First Nations in the Environmental Assessment Act, which provides an opportunity for a qualified third-party facilitator to support the parties in consensus seeking and building good relations between governments.

Recent warm, sunny weather could be the start of a much-longer hot stretch “without a very obvious end to it,” raising concerns about wildfires, says an Environment Canada meteorologist. Victoria-based Armel Castellan told reporters Monday that even with typical July temperatures, residual moisture on the forest floor can be depleted in seven to 10 days. “That is the very strong concern as we go deeper into this week,” said Castellan, who said Environment Canada collaborates closely with the B.C. Wildfire Service at this time of year. …The outlook has changed, however, with recent rising temperatures, along with lack of rain in the immediate forecast. That means a campfire ban is now under consideration, said Coastal Fire Centre information officer Jade Richardson.

Forsite is excited to announce we are now part of the Barr GeoSpatial Solutions “BGS” group of companies. BGS is a leading provider of analytics and remote sensing to help manage and protect natural resources and critical infrastructure across North America. Other companies in the BGS group include Northwest Management Inc. (NMI) (Moscow, Idaho), Airborne Imaging (Calgary) and Barr Air Patrol (Houston). Forsite, a leading provider of forestry solutions in Canada including digital tree inventories, forest land management, fire modeling, and vegetation management for utilities, is excited to join the Barr group of companies. BGS’s advanced fleet of over 25 sensors and 50 aircraft, coupled with state-of-the-art aerial LiDAR, imaging, surveillance, and Al technologies, delivers invaluable data through sophisticated processing and analytics. Being part of BGS will provide Forsite the resources and market access to allow the expansion of our technology product offerings across North America and around the world.