Forests have been decimated

Letter by Peter Rusland
Lake Cowichan Gazette
August 1, 2024
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Peter Rusland

Dear North Cowichan Mayor Rob Douglas and council, and Premier David Eby: We are glad our forest ministry is not following council’s recent request to expedite forest-harvesting permits. Details are found in the Cowichan Citizen’s online post July 29, 2024. Our forests have been legally yet tragically decimated by generations of mismanagement in the name of profits and employment. That’s arguably why fibre supply — also subject to international pricing and other factors — is now growing so scarce. Speeding permitting would simply fast-track the end of what mature forests we have left in B.C., while eroding ecological values plus tourism potential. Forest-dependent communities such as ours surely must see the looming end of our struggling timber-based economy. We advise folks employed in forestry to begin mulling alternate jobs.

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