Liezl van Wyk

A recent column (“More discussion needed on B.C.’s green wood pellet industry”) perpetuated misleading claims about the biomass industry. At Drax, we’re very proud of the work our employees do in Williams Lake and across B.C. I appreciate the opportunity to explain five topics that address what we’re doing to help Canada’s forests and biodiversity thrive and confirm what we’re not doing. Demand for wood pellets is not driving deforestation. Natural Resources Canada notes deforestation in Canada is among the world’s lowest… High-value logs are not being harvested expressly for pellet production by Drax. …When a particular log doesn’t find a buyer, this is where the pellet industry can step in to ensure it isn’t wasted. …We’re proud to have strong, growing partnerships with First Nations groups to use fibre from slash piles and forest clean-up residuals, resulting from their forestry operations.