A group of nearly 30 locals gathered in Whistler Olympic Plaza at noon on May 16 to protest against the removal of old-growth forest in Whistler. Armed with drums and signs … the purpose of the gathering was to give a voice to the longstanding cedars and other trees that are “being silently extinguished” in Whistler’s Cheakamus Community Forest (CCF), organizers explained. “We’re talking about these old-growth forests and it’s really important that we stand up for them … They are priceless and should not be touched,” said Tina Pashumati James, who organized the demonstration. …As it relates to the CCF, between 30 and 55 per cent of old growth is currently protected, said board chair Jeff Fisher at a virtual open house on March 29— a fact Pashumati James disputed during Sunday’s demonstration. …“When the community forest was created, the idea was to go to an ecosystem based management … but still to harvest some timber,” Fisher said