An agreement to delay logging in an old-growth stand of British Columbia forest has given a one-year reprieve to one of Canada’s most endangered species. Governments now have to come up with a permanent way to protect the vanishing spotted owl and other endangered species in the province, said Kegan Pepper-Smith of Ecojustice, which has been pushing the federal government on the issue. “We need to reimagine an approach that protects (species) and their habitat with legally enforceable measures.” Just a tiny handful of spotted owls remains. Estimates suggest there are three left in the wild, with one breeding pair in the forests around Spuzzum in south-central B.C. On Thursday, B.C., the federal government and the Spuzzum First Nation announced a deal to hold off logging that watershed for a year while the governments continue working on a recovery plan for the owls.

The Province and ‘Namgis First Nation have signed an agreement to partner on a modernized land use planning approach to manage the integrity of the ecosystems and natural resources in ‘Namgis territory. Katrine Conroy, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and Don Svanvik, ‘Namgis Chief Councillor, have signed a government-to-government memorandum of understanding designed to help sustain the lands, waters, resources and wildlife in a manner consistent with implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and B.C.’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. The agreement will guide land use planning to protect and manage the integrity of the ecosystems that sustain the lands, waters resources and wildlife the ‘Namgis rely on to exercise their Aboriginal title and rights.

We’ve developed this monthly newsletter to curate the good news stories we share across the province featuring FESBC-funded projects which are seeing excellent economic, social, and environmental benefits. Stories are shared in collaboration with our project partners, and we were pleased to have Minister Katrine Conroy share a story this month on FESBC funding for Intake 7. This month, we highlight the following: New grants help to use more wood fibre; Collaboration in the Okanagan reduces wildfire risk to the water supply; Newly funded project in the Cariboo collaborates with Tsi Del Del; and Wildfire risk reduction work near Nelson. FESBC helps government reduce greenhouse gas emissions and wildfire risk while generating green energy, enhancing fibre utilization, and building new economic opportunities for all British Columbians, including many indigenous peoples and those living in rural communities.

Amid uncertainty in Vancouver Island communities around the forestry sector, the provincial government is stepping in to help. In 2018, the Interior region of the province was hit hard by wildfires. Much of the timber in the region was destroyed, and combined with a depressed housing market in the United States and sawmill closures, that left many forestry workers without work. The next year the province created a short-term Forestry Employment Program that took the experienced forestry workers and put them to work in improving infrastructure and recreational opportunities in the area. Now that program has been expanded greatly to the rest of the province to help forestry workers cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and other downturns in the industry. … The total budget for the program was increased from $9 million to $21 million, which … has to be allocated by the end of the governmental fiscal year on March 31.

A collaboration of a number of groups in the region is in the process of restoring moose habitat in the Babine Lake area. The Bulkley Valley Rod and Gun Club  had originally applied to the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund three years ago for a grant that would fund hinging and felling of old willow to make room for new growth. That application was turned down. …The gun club went back to the drawing board, reapplied and is expecting an answer soon. In the meantime, the idea spawned cooperation between the club, FLNRO (forests ministry), Society for Ecosystem Restoration in Northern BC, Wildlife For Tomorrow and Babine Lake Nation and work got underway this winter clearing approximately 240 hectares near Smithers Landing.