FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (MUSQUEAM), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (SQUAMISH) AND səlilwətaɬ (TSLEIL-WAUTUTH) TERRITORIES/VANCOUVER – The old growth update “From Review to Action” released by the B.C. government yesterday does not contain the critical actions needed to implement a paradigm shift in forest stewardship in the near future. It also delays finalizing a Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health (BEH) Framework from 2024 to 2025.

Without a path to implementing ecosystem-based targets that prevent the loss of the most at-risk old growth forests, and easy-to-access funding to replace lost revenues for First Nations that opt to defer old-growth logging on their territories, the update does not advance old growth protection.

This highlights a lack of alignment between existing B.C. government policies, including last year’s historic Tripartite Nature Agreement – which included $1 billion in funding to protect 30 percent of land in B.C. by 2030 – and the update released yesterday.

The Nature Agreement and the draft BEH Framework together contain the key elements needed to safeguard the most at-risk ecosystems and species habitat in B.C. Better aligning the “From Review to Action” plan with these existing policies would enable smoother implementation and reduce the risk of different ministries, like the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, pulling in different directions.

“We appreciate the ongoing commitment by the B.C. government to work with First Nations to implement the recommendations of the 2020 Old-Growth Strategic Review. However, without ambitious timelines and milestones, the newly-released update does not guarantee the necessary forestry reforms nor timely interim and long-term protection of at-risk old-growth,” said Jens Wieting, Sierra Club BC’s Senior Policy and Science Advisor.

The delay of the final BEH framework, which was expected to include interim conservation measures, means that there will be no additional short-term conservation mechanisms to prevent further losses of at-risk habitat and ecosystems before 2025.

“What’s needed now is leadership at every level of government and in every ministry to protect irreplaceable old-growth forests before we lose any more. The Old-Growth Update and a final BEH Framework could help meet the 30 by 30 commitment, which will result in a doubling of protected areas on public lands. Meaningful action plans would move us beyond talking, to deliver on existing commitments and create change on the ground.” said Shelly Luce, Director of Campaigns at Sierra Club BC.

Important benchmarks Sierra Club BC expects to be addressed in updated action plans are:

• Detailed support steps and timelines to enable deferrals for all the most at-risk old growth (about half are still open to logging);
• Implementation of Ecosystem-based Management (as highlighted in the draft BEH framework) resulting in consistent old-growth targets;
• Linking old growth action to the Nature Agreement and outlining how old growth protection will contribute to the goal to protect 30 percent of the land in B.C. by 2030;
• An updated schedule for all 14 OGSR recommendations addressing delays;
• Making biodiversity a priority in Forest Landscape Plans and other forms of planning. 

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