VANCOUVER — The most at-risk ecosystems should be set aside from logging while BC shifts its forestry policies toward a more sustainable system, says a forester who helped write a provincial report on old-growth forests. Garry Merkel urged BC to act within six months to defer harvesting. …“I do share the impatience of a lot of folks.” At the same time, Merkel said he doesn’t question the government’s commitment… and the process overall will take years. Forests Minister Katrine Conroy said… BC will hold discussions with First Nations and others, including forestry companies, workers and environmental groups, to determine the next areas where harvesting may be deferred. …Susan Yurkovich, president of the BC Council of Forest Industries, said no one wants to harvest beyond what is sustainable because the future of the industry relies on access to wood fibre at a reasonable cost. …”About 38,000 jobs are tied to harvesting old growth in BC.”

The province is running out of time to take action to protect old growth forests, says a coalition of environmental groups. The Sierra Club, Ancient Forest Alliance and Wilderness Committee released a “report card” Thursday ­giving the B.C. government a failing grade for inaction on meeting the short-term milestones for old-growth protection recommended in an independent report released six months ago. …A group of protesters have been ­preventing logging company Teal Jones from accessing a cut block near Fairy Creek for seven months. Teal Jones has responded by applying for an injunction to remove the blockades. Last week, a judge granted the activists a three-week reprieve to allow their legal team more time to assemble materials. …Katrine Conroy, minister of forests, said in a statement the province is developing a new approach to how old-growth forests are managed.

Peter W. Rusland

What is council doing to save our precious forests from illegal loggers? Our mayor’s well-meaning plea for these terrible thieves to “please leave our trees alone” is frankly laughable at best. I implore council to set large fines and legal prosecution for such crimes, plus large rewards leading to the arrest and conviction of the vicious, greedy culprits. I also ask council what is being done to work with the police to collar this quiet crisis that may have quietly continued, unreported, for years? …On the surface, do we have forest wardens and volunteer watchdogs who are vigilant about this horrible crime? If not, I suggest council hire and enlist them.

The Lil’wat Nation and the Village of Pemberton have planted the seeds of a community forest partnership that will help grow local jobs and economic opportunities, while enhancing stewardship of local lands. A new community forest agreement also supports opportunities in areas such as recreation, wildlife and watershed management on 17,727 hectares of Crown land. “These agreements are the building blocks of a diverse and sustainable forest economy, creating opportunities for people in rural and Indigenous communities,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. “People in the Lil’wat Nation and Village of Pemberton will also reap the rewards of a forest that is managed for local priorities, including sustainability and recreation.” The two partner communities in the Speĺkúmtn Community Forest will have an allowable annual cut of 11,000 cubic metres.

Six months after releasing a major report on managing and protecting old-growth forests, British Columbia is either at a turning point, a standstill or both, depending who you ask. Katrine Conroy, the minister responsible, says change is underway but takes time. Environmentalists give the progress so far a failing grade. They give a “D” for the logging deferrals [and] “F”s on the four other areas they looked at. There needs to be a three-year work plan with milestone dates, they said. And so far, there’s no funding to implement the transition. …Forests Minister Conroy responded by saying… “Those who are calling for a return to the status quo are putting B.C.’s majestic old growth and vital biodiversity at risk, and those who are calling for an immediate moratorium are ignoring the needs of thousands of workers and families in forest-dependent communities right across our province,” she said.

Just about nine kilometres west of Shawnigan Lake Village there is a wonderful block of old growth trees that are aligned along the river bank. Stunning trees and vey majestic. Apparently many years ago the loggers refused to cut the trees down so they have been left alone. With the changeover to Mosaic, looks like they will be attempting to log in that area. I realize all these years of being able to hike into the area and enjoy the beauty of the trees was something we kind of took for granted. There was some talk that the province might trade this cut block for some other areas and preserve it as a hiking destination, but that fell by the wayside. I also realize the companies need to obtain wood sources from the allocated land they have and need to provide jobs and material for home construction. I am not proposing no logging …