Mike Morris

Prince George-Mackenzie BC United MLA, Mike Morris says it’s time BC stopped its clearcutting ways. Morris says the province has to change its management practices to restore the health of forests and decrease the likelihood of disastrous floods that threaten communities. “We’re going to have a forest sector, we’ve got 20 million hectares of managed coniferous forest planted since we started clearcutting in 1966 and they all need thinning, so pull the plug on clearcut forestry right now,” said Morris. “…we’ll get 2X4s and maybe 2X6s and pulpwood, but industry completely needs to change their business model.” …“We are in so much trouble from a forestry perspective in the province, it needs to be completely revamped,” said Morris. “…we’re out of harvestable wood under the current business model. We’ve exhausted our timber supply in the province.” …Morris follows research by UBC forestry professor Younes Alila, which attributes extreme flooding …to clearcutting and loss of forest ground cover.