Old Growth Forestry Update |
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"This week's announcement to protect old-growth in British Columbia is a start, however, it falls short of the deferrals required to pause logging in all of the critically endangered areas currently being defended, for generations to come."
"In the Fairy Creek watershed itself, the deferral only impacts one km of approved road building at the headwaters. However, in the greater adjacent, intact rainforest area surrounding Fairy Creek, currently 40 hectares of old growth logging and over five km of road building is already approved," says Saul Arbess, a member of Rainforest Flying Squad.
Please join members from the BC Coalition for Forestry Reform, Forest March BC, Fairy Creek Blockaders, Elders for Trees, and the Canadian Orca Rescue Society for the Last Stand at the Legislature – #WorthMoreStanding Rally starting at noon this Friday, June 11th. Please follow all COVID protocols – masks and social distancing required. |
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BC Government Announcement Falls Short |
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Despite the announcement by the Province of British Columbia, deferring logging in key areas in Fairy Creek and the Central Walbran, protesters will remain in the Fairy Creek Area. Large-scale logging could still occur in old-growth forest directly adjacent to Fairy Creek, and in parts of the Central Walbran not included in the deferral. Because of this, the Rainforest Flying Squad protesters will remain in place and will consult with Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones on next steps. |
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Old Growth & Reconciliation |
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With the public exposé of the horrific effects of colonization, it's becoming apparent that resource extraction and reconciliation are at opposite ends of the spectrum as shown in these recent articles. The spirit of Indigenous children murdered and traumatized at residential schools is playing a big role in bringing needed conversations to the forefront. Their lives were not in vain - they are the impetus for us to shift this once and for all! |
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To ensure continued logging of Pacheedaht forests, Premier Horgan tried to buy their silence for what amounts to glass beads | | |
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Forest agreement with Pacheedaht betrays premier’s commitments on Indigenous reconciliation Photo by TJ Watt | | |
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Premier Horgan lays bare the ethical corruption that grips the forests ministry and forest industry | | |
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Old Growth Forests Are Not a Renewable Resource |
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Canada is synonymous with endless forests, clear lakes and snow-capped mountains. It’s hard to imagine that these magnificent landscapes could be threatened. Yet Canada’s most ancient forests, including some of the last intact temperate rainforests of Vancouver Island, are being destroyed at a rate of hundreds of soccer fields per day. Nothing is safe in the path of the chainsaws – ancient Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, yellow and western red cedar trees, some older than 1,000 years. 90 percent of BC's giant trees have already been felled. The clear-cutting is destroying the habitat of bears, wolves and salmon. The population of marbled murrelets, a seabird that nests in old-growth forests, has already collapsed. For thousands of years, these forests have been in the territories of Indigenous Peoples who used their plants and animals sustainably. “When these ancient forests are cleared, they are gone forever,” says Jens Wieting of Sierra Club BC. Second-growth trees are felled after only a few short decades, which does not give the biodiversity of the original forests a chance to recover. Climate change is putting the forests under additional pressure. The full extent of the destruction was brought home in 2014 when pictures of “Big Lonely Doug” were published – a towering, solitary Douglas fir left standing in the middle of a clear-cut area. In 2020, the BC government promised to implement the recommendations of an independent old-growth panel. New mapping has revealed that the BC provincial government has approved 43% more old-growth logging during the period since it received the Old-Growth Panel recommendations that it promised to implement last fall. Please tell the provincial government of British Columbia to put an end to the clear-cutting of the last old-growth forests and the felling of their giant trees NOW. These majestic trees must not be sacrificed to short-sighted business interests. |
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Numerous forestry petitions are currently circulating. To support more international exposure for this issue, please consider signing this petition from the German-based Rainforest Rescue provided by the Sierra Club BC. It is a global call for action, calling on the BC government to follow through on their promise. They have a petition to protect the last intact forests on the planet. It has more than 239,000 signatures so far and the goal is to reach at least 250,000. Please sign the petition and ask your friends to sign it too. |
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For Twitter:
Premier @jjhorgan, keep your promise & save the last ancient #forests in #BritishColumbia #Canada. People from around the world call for protection of the last #oldgrowth #forest, join, share & sign the @RainforestResq petition #saveoldgrowth #bcpoli
www.rainforest-rescue.org/canada
https://twitter.com/RainforestResq
https://twitter.com/RainforestResq/status/1388160118378860544 For Facebook and Instagram:
Help us to save the last ancient forests on our planet. In 2020, John Horgan, the Premier of British Columbia, Canada, promised to take action for old-growth forests in this province, but clearcutting continues, there is still no plan to end it and no funding for conservation lead by Indigenous Peoples. Join people from around the world calling for protection of the last #oldgrowth #forest, share & sign the Rainforest Rescue petition #saveoldgrowth #bcpoli
www.rainforest-rescue.org/canada
https://www.facebook.com/rettetdenregenwald/
https://www.instagram.com/rettet_den_regenwald_de/?hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/p/COSdkpnnirb/ Send This Letter: Subject: A Call for a New Forest Framework in British Columbia The forests of British Columbia are by far the most extensive ecosystem in British Columbia covering two-thirds of the land base. Thriving ecosystems provide a wide range of ecological services, have the potential to provide significant and diverse employment and are critical to the culture of Indigenous peoples. The current track record shows the primary focus of government and the forest industry is to create tree plantations of commercially acceptable feedstock and fibre – trees are a commodity instead of an ecosystem. Over the decades, communities have suffered boom and bust cycles as jobs decline due to technological changes and the export of raw logs. Our forests and our communities deserve better. Ecoforesty offers an eco-centric approach to forests, viewing them as thriving living beings, rich in biodiversity. Intact forests provide valuable ecological services, including the air we breathe and the water we drink, carbon storage, and critical habitat for a wide range of living beings from fungi to apex predators. They also offer climate change services that buffer pests, floods and drought- services which will become much more valuable as the climate changes. Ecoforestry recognizes that we are a part of nature and that we must work with nature. To destroy nature is to destroy ourselves. We, the undersigned, call for a bold new forest framework based on an eco-centric approach that allows ecosystems and communities to thrive. The principles and practice of ecoforestry require that we live and work within ecological parameters and that we protect and restore natural ecosystem richness, complexity and resiliency that we can enjoy and help us adapt to a rapidly changing climate. It is this approach that provides for an ecologically appropriate level of harvest resulting in greater job creation when the full range of economic values is realized. A rich diversity of direct and indirect jobs is created, from naturalist, restoration ecologist and healer positions to value-added wood crafters and community event planners. Local businesses and suppliers benefit from the uptake of local accommodations and eating establishments. We no longer support business as usual in the management of our forests. Our health and that of communities is dependent on the health of the entire forest ecosystem. Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples cannot be fulfilled without healthy forests. We can do better. We must do better.
Time is of the essence and now is the time for transformation. We must start the shift to this ecosystem-centric approach to our forests now.
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Track Forest Action Focus on Victoria has a community online forum tracking forest action that can be seen here. |
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Support Elders’ Action for Ancient Trees |
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While an agreement for a temporary deferral of logging in a small part of TFL46 is in the offing, logging of old-growth continues in other sections. Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones and the Rainforest Flying Squad has called on the support of a growing and spirited group of elders to continue their efforts to support the protection of old growth in BC. The group recently received a joyous welcome from younger forest defenders when they walked directly through the barricade at Fairy Creek and into the camp. "It’s not fair that younger people have to be the only ones fighting for environmental sustainability," says organizer Susan Gage. We want to show that we, as elders, stand with these brave young people, who are trying to reveal the insanity of mowing down these ancient trees and the unique temperate rainforest ecosystem sustained by these mother trees.” Long-time activist and educator, Jackie Larkin, 76, said the provincial government has lied about its willingness to protect old-growth forests. “It’s my responsibility to stand with the ancient trees and against the forestry companies and chainsaws that destroy precious ecosystems.”
To learn more about the elders and to get involved, please contact oldfolksforoldgrowth@gmail.com
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Support Alternatives To Logging |
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The Canadian Orca Rescue Society is launching a fundraiser this week in an attempt to crowdfund enough money to match the revenue that logging old-growth would provide to the Teal-Jones Group, the Pacheedaht First Nation and the provincial government. The non-profit focuses on conservation of southern resident killer whales, and has previously fundraised to support a hatchery in Port Renfrew to raise wild chinook salmon to release into the San Juan River. Pittman said old-growth protection fits the society’s mandate, because logging old-growth trees has an effect on the health of southern resident killer whales. |
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“Salmon spawn in the forest, and salmon can’t spawn in a river that’s had its trees cut down beside it. They need a specific temperature and specific clarity of water for the eggs to hatch. Once you cut down an old-growth forest and you leave the stream bare, the water heats up, the eggs won’t hatch and salmon won’t go out to sea and the orcas starve,” he said. Pittman said he hopes the fundraising effort becomes a template for other conservation projects. |
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Nurture Nature's Ecosystems Learn more about sustainable forest and ecosystem management, plus trees: |
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Biodiversity Matters - Re-Imagining Forest Management |
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The Call for a New Forest Framework |
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The Doughnut and the New Forest Framework:
The Wildwood Model |
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Interview with Ian McAllister of Pacific Wild |
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Nurturing Nature's Ecosystems - Part 1 |
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Nurturing Nature's Ecosystems - Part 2 |
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Transformation to a More Sustainable Future: The Role of Indigenous Wisdom |
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Solutions for Indigenous and Ecosystem-based Resource Management |
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Trees as a Legacy: Covenants and More |
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ATrees4Tomorrow - Tree Planting on Hornby Island |
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Creatively United Solutions Hub |
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Healthy, happy communities begin from the ground up. Help us inspire generations to protect and preserve the natural world and confront climate change, so families, communities and nature can prosper together. |
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About Creatively United & Our Community Partners |
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The Creatively United for the Planet Society is a registered non-profit society. Since 2012, we have brought together more than 10,000 people from throughout the region who care about happy, healthy, and resilient communities. We have done so through eight zero-waste sustainability showcases, numerous community events and educational talks, collaborative partnerships, a video series, and the CreativelyUnited.org free community information network, resource and solutions sharing hub. The Gail O'Riordan Climate and the Arts Legacy Fund, supported by The Victoria Foundation, is dedicated to changing human consciousness towards global environmental change by combining science with the creativity of the performing arts. Creatively United and Climate and the Arts both appreciate the support of the Polis Foundation for its assistance in the production of these webinars. |
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