Pacheedaht elder and longtime Fairy Creek forest defender Bill Jones will join Nelson residents on Sunday, Oct. 4, as communities across B.C. come together for a province-wide fall rally calling for an end to old-growth logging and a new approach to forest protection. The Nelson rally, Hands Off Old Growth, is a grassroots action coordinated with events in Victoria and other communities across the province, coinciding with NDP Premier David Eby’s recent announcement of a snap election this Oct. 24. Organizers of the rally are calling for the promised paradigm shift in forestry, Indigenous-led conservation, climate stability and an economy that values biodiversity. Keenan Dennehy of 4theloveofbc.ca — an advocate for sustainable forest management and biodiversity protection in British Columbia — said the bill has come due for the forestry industry. …The rally comes as the province advances its proposed Working Forest model, while questions remain about how much old growth and primary forest will receive lasting protection.