The Resort Municipality of Whistler is warning residents and visitors about possible upcoming closures around Lost Lake Park as thousands of Western toadlets migrate from the lake to the nearby forest. The resort municipality said in a statement that once migration begins, the Lost Lake access road and parking lot will be closed to all vehicle traffic. Lost Lake Beach, grassy areas, and the nearby trail will only be open to foot traffic, but could also close if there is a large number of migrating toads. During peak times, about 1,800 toads cross the beach trail every hour. Lost Lake Park acts as the breeding ground for Whistler’s largest population of Western Toad (Anaxyrus boreas), a sensitive species that is native to British Columbia. The amphibian can be sensitive to changes in its environment because of its porous skin.

The British Columbia government has released the new Wildfire Preparedness Guide. The 20-page guide is the first of its kind and as its title suggests is dedicated completely to wildfire preparedness. “The probability of damaging wildfires has increased in recent years, due in part to the effects of climate change. If you live in a risk area, it’s imperative that you take time to get ready,” the guide said in its introductory comments. It features information from before, during and after wildfires, representing “the complete disaster cycle, from mitigation and preparedness to wildfire response and recovery,” said Tara Gostelow, spokesperson with Emergency Management BC. …Gostelow said the guide include pertinent themes identified by the public over the past two wildfire seasons. They include health-focussed advice on managing wildfire smoke exposure, how to manage anxiety related to wildfires and evacuations and information on insuring property and understanding the policy entitlements.

The annual allowable cut for the Fort Nelson timber supply region will be increased by 1 million cubic metres. It may be the only region of the province to actually see its AAC increase. The AAC for interior region timber supply areas is on the decline, due to the mountain pine beetle epidemic, and the coastal region is under unrelenting pressure to protect old growth forests from logging through parks and protected areas. The Fort Nelson region was largely untouched by the Mountain pine beetle infestation, and does not have the same conservation concerns over caribou that could take 300,000 cubic metres out of the AAC for the Peace region. Mills that once operated there have been idle for years, which has resulted in an undercut. …The regional government has been lobbying for an increase in the AAC to lure new sawmills to the area.

British Columbia’s old-growth forests, the values they hold for Indigenous peoples, and forestry-dependent communities are in crisis. Raw log exports remain at record high levels and mills are closing. The climate crisis, insect outbreaks and massive forest fires are here to stay. But we’re still clearcutting the most endangered, resilient and carbon-rich forests at an alarming rate. Even more irresponsible, B.C. is exporting about three million cubic metres of old-growth per year as raw logs, accepting massive environmental losses for minimal economic benefits. After decades of business as usual, time is running out for the B.C. government and industry to begin the transition to truly sustainable forestry. On the current path, we will not leave healthy forests or healthy communities for our children. The amendment process for B.C.’s forestry law, currently underway, is a chance to change course. 

The B.C. government is protecting some of the province’s largest trees as the first step in a new approach to old-growth management. “This province is fortunate to have trees that have been standing in place for hundreds of years – some for more than a thousand,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “We want to protect these majestic giants so today’s families and future generations can enjoy them, just like our parents and grandparents did.” …Under a Forest Act protection measure, 54 known big trees from the Big Tree Registry at the University of British Columbia that could have been harvested will now remain standing. 

Additional coverage by Lindsay Kines in the Victoria Times Colonist

Additional coverage by Canadian Press in the Vancouver Sun

Big Lonely Doug won’t be so lonely anymore. The Coastal Douglas-fir is among 54 of the province’s largest and oldest trees to be protected by the province along with a one-hectare buffer zone surrounding each of the giants, says Forest Minister Doug Donaldson. Big Lonely Doug is the second largest Douglas-fir in Canada. The tree, located near Port Renfrew, stands at 70.2 metres, or 230 feet. Two other trees in the Port Renfrew region – Sitka spruce – are also protected. …Donaldson says the announcement is also the start of a broader conversation about the future of old-growth management in the province. …Local environmental groups welcomed the decision to protect the 54 trees, but say much more needs to be done.

The B.C. government is protecting 54 of its biggest trees, each with a one-hectare grove around it to act as a buffer zone. The chosen trees are outside of parks and protected areas … including Engelmann spruce in the North Okanagan, coastal Douglas fir in the Capital Regional District and Greater Vancouver, western red cedar and sitka spruce in the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District and interior Douglas fir in the Cariboo, Columbia-Shuswap and Thompson-Nicola Regional Districts. The list includes three Pacific yew trees in Greater Vancouver and 14 sitka spruce in the Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District. …Forests Minister Doug Donaldson said the initial preservation is the start of a larger program to preserve old-growth forests… The 54 trees were selected from the University of B.C.’s big tree registry… Donaldson has appointed Gary Merkel, a … member of the Tahltan Nation, and Al Gorley… to tour the province and make recommendations to the minister next spring.