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Independent Advisory Panel could be turning point for the fate of at-risk old-growth forests

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Immediate deferrals, political will and funding will determine success

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

June 24, 2021 

Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) (VANCOUVER, BC) — Sierra Club BC believes the creation of an independent Old Growth Technical Advisory Panel, which was announced by the B.C. government today, could be a turning point for the fate of at-risk old-growth forests amid a delayed implementation of the promised paradigm-shift in forest stewardship in B.C. Overcoming this government’s history of ignoring the best-available science and playing politics with advisory boards will require political will and clear direction.  

“Last fall, the B.C. government promised to implement a paradigm-shift in forest stewardship, but to date it has failed to deliver the most pressing first step – to stop the bleeding and use interim mechanisms to ensure the most endangered old-growth forests are not being logged while forest management in B.C. shifts from a focus on timber values to one of respecting ecological limits,” said Sierra Club BC Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner Jens Wieting. 

“This advisory panel combined with leadership from the B.C. government will allow the province to implement a precautionary approach. This requires deferring logging in all at-risk forests in the short-term to buy time to work with Indigenous decision makers on long-term designations that respect Indigenous rights and title. Speeding up change on the ground also requires funding for Indigenous-led conservation solutions and a just transition for forestry workers,” added Wieting. 

“It’s hard to get excited about steps like this when this government has gone from talk and log politics to predatory delay.  Out of one side of their mouth, they hide behind First Nations, while out the other side they actively push old-growth forest referrals through band offices and profit off of BC Timber Sales logging in territories they don’t have consent to operate in.  Science is always celebrated, but political courage is what we need most,” said Sierra Club BC Coastal Projects Lead Mark Worthing. 

”The unprecedented heatwave currently enveloping Turtle Island is a brutal reminder of how little time we have to safeguard what remains intact of our best ally in the fight against the climate and biodiversity crisis. Intact, carbon-rich, resilient old-growth forests are our best defense against the ravages of climate change such as heatwaves, drought and wildfires. The web of life that depends on these forests cannot withstand more industrial devastation combined with climate change impacts,” added Wieting.  

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For more information about the B.C. governments’ independent Old Growth Technical Advisory Panel go here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021FLNRO0043-001225


Media contacts:

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner | Sierra Club BC
jens@sierraclub.bc.ca, (604) 354-5312

Mark Worthing, Coastal Projects Lead | Sierra Club BC
mark@sierraclub.bc.ca

Photo by TJ Watt/Ancient Forest Alliance

Sierra Club BC reacts to Premier Horgan’s Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek and Central Walbran deferral announcement

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

June 9, 2021 

Sierra Club BC Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner Jens Wieting offers the following statement in response to today’s deferral announcements. 

“Hearing first from the Pacheedaht, Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht First Nations and now from the province that old-growth logging will be deferred for two years in the Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek watershed and the Central Walbran gives us a glimpse of hope for two small but highly endangered old-growth forest areas on Vancouver Island. 

“But studying the maps shared today by the B.C. government is a sobering experience and shows a consistent pattern: Minimize conservation, even temporary deferrals, to the absolute minimum; defend timber access as much as possible. 

“Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek is a dramatic example for this pattern, with hundreds of hectares of intact contiguous old-growth adjacent to the watershed left out of the deferral area. The province even insisted on creating a Zone B to allow for some degree of logging in the watershed.  

“The BC NDP government shows great creativity to defend business as usual and almost none when it comes to enabling communities and First Nations to protect the last old-growth forests. 

“At the current pace, the B.C. government will not be able to win the race to save what’s left and restore what’s damaged for future generations. The April 2020 old-growth panel recommendations included one indispensable step that came with an expiry date – defer logging in all at-risk old-growth forests within six months. Any further delay would be irresponsible.  

“In May, after a year of almost no action to protect at-risk forests, a group of independent experts shared a map with the province that used criteria from the old-growth panel report to identify the most endangered forests that need immediate deferrals from logging. Their maps show 1.3 million hectares of forests that need interim protection, 2.6 percent of all forests in B.C.  

“Today’s deferral announcement for Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek and Central Walbran adds up to 2,000 hectares or 0.15 percent of the forests that need interim protection. Almost all at-risk forests across the province remain open for logging, including thousands of hectares on Southern Vancouver Island.” 

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For more information about the deferral map developed by independent experts go here: https://sierraclub.bc.ca/new-map-of-at-risk-old-growth-forests-in-bc-is-a-first-step/ 


Media contact:

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner | Sierra Club BC
jens@sierraclub.bc.ca, (604) 354-5312

 

Photo by TJ Watt/Ancient Forest Alliance

Vast Majority (85%) of British Columbians Want Action for Old-Growth Forests; Only 16% Think BC NDP Has Done a Good Job Protecting Them

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74% support doubling protection of provincial lands; strong opposition against using trees as pellets and raw log exports.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 4, 2021

Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) (VANCOUVER, BC) — Sierra Club BC and Insights West partnered to examine public perceptions of several ecological and social issues in British Columbia, particularly forest related issues.

We found that the vast majority of B.C. residents (85%) want the provincial government to follow through on their election promise to implement all of the recommendations from the independent Old-Growth Panel Review, including:

• Deferring logging of all at-risk old-growth forests within 6 months
• Working with Indigenous governments on the implementation of all recommendations
• A shift in forest management towards a focus on biodiversity protection
• Developing a transition plan to help the forestry industry with the needed changes.

A large majority (85%) of British Columbians feel that it is important that the BC NDP government keeps these promises (55% say it’s ‘very important’ and 30% ‘somewhat important’). Six in ten (60%) are aware of the promises made.

Only 16% of B.C. residents say the government has done a ‘very good’ (2%) or ‘good’ (14%) job in keeping this election promise. More than double that number (40%) think they have done a bad job and 45% are unsure.

Looking at a range of issues, a majority of British Columbians are very concerned about the destruction of old-growth forests in B.C., they are also opposed to the practice of exporting raw logs, as well as to whole trees being made into pellets for energy production and logging of old-growth forests in general. Almost three-quarters support doubling protection of provincial lands to 30% by 2030.

Relative to other social and environmental issues, concern about forestry-related issues rate highly among British Columbians. COVID-19, poverty and declining salmon stocks are at the top (86%), followed closely by endangered species/ecosystems (84%), the opioid crisis (81%) and logging of old-growth forests (78%), single-use plastics (77%), climate change (76%), the impact of logging on climate change and nature (76%), systemic racism (73%) and raw log exports (68%).

When British Columbians are asked to rate the job the provincial government is doing on these issues, it is clear that COVID-19 is the only instance where the majority feels they are doing a good job (58%). On some issues – like climate change, single-use plastics and systematic racism – British Columbians are split on giving the government good and bad scores.

In contrast, the BC NDP government receives the lowest positive scores on their performance around forestry and ecosystem related issues like raw log exports 38% negative, 12% positive; declining salmon stocks, 39% negative, 15% positive; logging of old-growth forests 42% negative, 18% positive; impact of logging on nature and climate 39% negative, 20% positive; and endangered species and at-risk ecosystems 36% negative, 23% positive.

A global initiative called High Ambition Coalition for People and Nature supported by more than 50 countries, including Canada, aims to protect 30% of lands and oceans by 2030 to conserve nature, halt biodiversity loss, tackle climate change and encourage sustainability. Currently, 15% of lands in B.C. have protection and the province has not yet committed to any new target. The vast majority of B.C. residents (74%) support doubling protection to 30% and only 16% are opposed.

The survey also covered a forestry topic that few British Columbians are aware of, logging whole trees in B.C. to turn them into wood pellets and burn them as an energy source. The polling indicates that only 40% of B.C. residents are aware of the issue but the majority (66%) are against this practice; only 13% support it and 21% are not sure.

“These polling results show very clearly that the escalating frustration and despair about logging of the last old-growth forests for short-term profit is shared by the vast majority of British Columbians who want the provincial government to follow through on their promises without further delay,” said Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner for Sierra Club BC.

“British Columbians are more concerned than ever about threats to the web of life and lack of action for future generations. They are dismayed by the irresponsible talk-and-log approach to old-growth and expect leadership for a just transition towards truly sustainable jobs that respect ecological limits. They understand that there are severe challenges beyond covid, like the climate and extinction crisis that requires immediate action today, not tomorrow.”

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About this poll:

Results are based on an online study conducted by Insights West Marketing Research May 12 to 15, 2021 among a sample of 831 residents across B.C. Respondents are part of Insights West’s Feedback Community, a panel of B.C. residents recruited from a variety of sources and backgrounds who share their views and opinions on an ongoing basis, and from other panels provided by partner providers. The margin of error with the total sample – which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.4 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies between totals are due to rounding. Click HERE to view the detailed data tabulations.

Media contacts:

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner | Sierra Club BC
jens@sierraclub.bc.ca, (604) 354-5312

Steve Mossop, President | Insights West
stevemossop@insightswest.com, (778) 891-4762

 

Featured photo: TJ Watt/Ancient Forest Alliance

Sierra Club BC reacts to Premier Horgan’s forestry announcement

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Sierra Club BC Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner Jens Wieting offers the following brief statement in response to today’s announcements on updates to forestry in B.C.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 1, 2021

Statement by Sierra Club BC Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner Jens Wieting:

“Today’s announcement was an Orwellian nightmare. The outrageous claims by Premier John Horgan about how much old-growth is already protected and the extent of old-growth protections enacted during his government is quickly destroying any and all remaining trust that his government is sincere about its promise to protect at-risk forests before it’s too late.

“Preparing to redistribute forest tenure without first taking action to ensure that the most endangered old-growth forests have at least interim protection will only make it harder to save any of these forests later. It’s continued talk-and log. People in B.C. who care about the web of life should be deeply worried about this government’s ongoing denial of the severity of the old-growth and biodiversity crisis.

“This government received a blueprint for solutions over a year ago, independent experts mapped the most endangered old-growth forests across the province for them, the federal government committed $2.3billion dollars to increase protected areas across Canada and yet, old-growth logging continues unabated and almost all at-risk forests remain without interim protection.

“The old-growth crisis calls for immediate short-term funding for First Nations and forestry workers seeking an alternative to logging the last old-growth. Defending business as usual will only exacerbate conflicts like the one happening over Fairy Creek and undermine options for communities seeking an alternative to destructive resource extraction.”

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Media contact:

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner | Sierra Club BC
jens@sierraclub.bc.ca, (604) 354-5312

 

 

Photo: Jens Wieting/SCBC

Sierra Club BC: Huge trees like the spruce in logging truck photo still without protection

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Despite statements from Ministry of Forests, giant spruce in photo not large enough to be protected under 2020 regulation.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

May 28, 2021

Unceded Coast Salish Territories (VANCOUVER, BC) — Despite misleading statements from B.C.’s Ministry of Forests, the giant Sitka spruce that was seen being hauled across Vancouver Island is almost certainly not large enough to be protected under the Special Tree Protection Regulation that came into effect on Sept. 11, of 2020.

“This photo is a shocking example of the size of ancient trees that can still be logged today even after the B.C. government finally released a Special Tree Regulation in 2020. The regulation was designed to ensure it wouldn’t significantly affect the industry.” said Jens Wieting, Sierra Club BC’s senior forest and climate campaigner.

In an emailed response sent to media outlets, including CBC News, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Forests said the tree was cut between March and mid-August of last year “a month before the Special Tree Protection Regulation came into effect on Sept. 11, of 2020.”

“Government brought in this regulation to protect exceptionally large trees of all species throughout the province, and today, a tree of this size might well be illegal to harvest under the regulation, and fines of up to $100,000 could be imposed if it was,” the email said according to multiple outlets.

But the 2020 Special Tree Regulation was designed to leave almost all big trees without protection. Sitka Spruce are only protected if they have a diameter equal to or larger than 2.83 meters at breast height, Yellow Cedars at 2.65 meters, coastal Douglas-Firs at 2.7 meters, coastal Redcedar at 3.85 meters and non-coastal Redcedar at 2.9 meters. Keeping in mind that in B.C. the maximum load width is 2.6 meters, old-growth trees of the size and species in the photo can still be legally logged today.

Table taken from the B.C. government’s Special Tree Protection Regulation https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/229_2020

The recent statements by the province’s Ministry of Forests about the Special Tree Protection Regulation are misleading at best, but they also undermine any remaining trust in the B.C. government’s political will to implement the promised paradigm shift in how forestry is done in the province.

With less than 2.7 percent of old-growth forests capable of supporting trees like the one in the picture remaining, the health of communities, our environment and all the beings that call these forests home depend on our collective efforts to protect the last intact forests.

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BC’s Special Tree Protection Regulation
https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/229_2020

Media contact:

Jens Wieting, Senior Forest and Climate Campaigner | Sierra Club BC
jens@sierraclub.bc.ca, (604) 354-5312

 

Photo: Lorna Beecroft’s Facebook page

Teal-Jones on brink of violating Wildlife Act; risks destroying fragile western screech-owl forests

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Teal-Jones appears to be ignoring notice of confirmed screech-owl sightings during mating season in the Caycuse Valley and surrounding areas in Ditidaht and Pacheedaht territories

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 21, 2021 (Endangered Species Day)

VANCOUVER / UNCEDED xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh AND səlilwətaɬ TERRITORIES — Western screech-owls in Caycuse Valley area face imminent risk of logging, putting Teal-Jones at risk of contravening the Wildlife Act, according to a Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD) biologist.

Western screech-owls (Megascops kennicottii) are occupying an area in the Caycuse Valley that is under threat of being logged. Royann Petrell, a retired UBC professor, has evidence of the threatened western screech-owls living in four locations throughout the Valley and neighbouring watersheds like Fairy Creek. She captured audio recordings and photos of the owls five times within the past two months.

“It’s incredible to know that threatened western screech-owls live here, but also worrying as their old-growth habitat is at risk of being logged,” said Donna Clark and Sara Ross of the Community Nest Finding Network. “Identifying and protecting their nesting sites is essential in saving a species that’s already lost so much habitat.”

Under the BC Wildlife Act it is an offence for anyone to harm, molest or destroy a nest that is occupied by a bird or egg. According to email correspondence with Royann, a biologist working for FLNRORD notified Teal-Jones that in order to ensure compliance with the Wildlife Act, they recommended they delay harvest at the Caycuse site until after breeding season.

“There are regulations in place, admittedly weak ones, that attempt to protect wildlife in B.C. from harm,” said Charlotte Dawe, Conservation and Policy Campaigner for the Wilderness Committee. “If Teal-Jones cannot even respect the few laws to save at-risk wildlife, then perhaps it’s not a company that should operate here at all.”

Western screech-owls are listed under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA) as threatened. Under SARA, responsibility is first given to the province to protect habitat and nests. But if B.C.’s laws do not effectively protect the species or the residence of its individuals, the federal minister of environment must recommend an order be made to protect the individuals and their nests.

“We have a law in Canada to protect wildlife at risk. A federal order to protect western screech-owl habitat is possible if B.C. fails on habitat protection,” said Dawe. “Both the B.C. government and Teal-Jones need to take recovery of at-risk wildlife seriously or risk federal intervention.”

Western screech-owls kennicottii subspecies rely on old-growth forests, where there is a high density of dead trees required for breeding and fewer predators.

“When old-growth gets destroyed for short-term economic profits we lose critical biodiversity habitat forever. Right now the only thing standing between western screech-owls and Teal-Jones chainsaws is forest defenders who are getting dragged off in cuffs by the RCMP,” said Mark Worthing, Coastal Projects Lead at Sierra Club BC. “With the absence of any endangered species legislation in B.C. and a rarity of political leadership on the biodiversity crisis, it feels like the environment minister is also a rare and endangered species.”

Teal-Jones is poised to log several cutblocks in the upper Caycuse Valley. This week, the RCMP is enforcing an injunction against blockades that have prevented this logging to date, and have arrested over 20 people there in the last three days.

The groups are calling on Premier John Horgan to respect wildlife living in the forest and halt operations until wildlife biologists can complete studies to confirm habitat requirements for a stable population of owls in the region. At the very least, no further forestry activity should continue during the active breeding season.

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Media contacts:

Mark Worthing, Coastal Projects Lead | Sierra Club BC
mark@sierraclub.bc.ca, (250) 889-3575

Charlotte Dawe, Conservation and Policy Campaigner | Wilderness Committee
charlotte@wildernesscommittee.org, (778) 903-3992

Donna Clark | Community Nest Finding Network
donnaclarkbc@gmail.com, (778) 879 3711

 

 

Top banner photo by Aaron Maizlish (CC BY-NC 2.0)

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