Forests

BC not on track to meet milestones for old-growth, First Nations and forestry transition

Environmental organizations issue report card six months after publication of old-growth panel recommendations

View the old-growth report card
Read the old-growth report card
backgrounder

VICTORIA/unceded Lekwungen territories — Ancient Forest Alliance, Sierra Club BC and Wilderness Committee issued a report card today assessing the B.C. government’s progress on protecting old-growth forests. Today marks exactly six months since the provincial government published the report from its independent old-growth panel. Premier John Horgan promised to implement the panel’s recommendations “in their totality” shortly after.

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The panel called for a paradigm-shift to safeguard the biodiversity of B.C.’s forests with a three-year framework, including logging deferrals for all at-risk old-growth forests within the first six months. Half a year later almost all at-risk forests remain open for logging and the B.C. government has not developed a plan with milestone dates and funding. 

“Government promised a ‘new direction’ for old-growth forests and then spent six months dragging its heels and refusing to protect the most endangered stands,” said Andrea Inness, campaigner for the Ancient Forest Alliance. “The government published the recommendations six months ago, but it received the report containing them on April 30, 2020 — by any measure they’ve missed this crucial deadline.” 

Endangered old-growth stands across the province continue to be targeted by logging companies and the exact forests the panel called for urgent action to protect are being lost. At the same time, the lack of a concrete plan is leaving First Nations and forestry workers with uncertainty about whether conservation, economic diversification and the transition to sustainable second-growth forestry will be adequately funded. 

“As long as we continue to rely on a dwindling supply of endangered old-growth forests, B.C.’s forest sector will continue to face uncertainty and instability,” said Cam Shiell, environmental sustainability officer with the Public and Private Workers of Canada, a union that represents thousands of workers in the B.C. forest industry. 

“The provincial government can’t delay action any longer, it must take meaningful steps to protect old-growth forests, lead the transition to sustainable, value-added second growth forestry and create the forest industry of the future.”

The organizations’ report card grades progress on five key areas related to the 14 recommendations: immediate action for at risk forests (D), three-year work plan with milestone dates (F), charting a new course prioritizing ecosystem integrity and biodiversity (F), funding for implementation, First nations conservation and forestry transition plans (F) and transparency and communication (F).

“Promising a new direction and then avoiding any meaningful action to ensure the most at risk old-growth forests are protected is not a ‘paradigm shift,’ it’s the same old talk and log,” said Jens Wieting, forest and climate campaigner at Sierra Club BC. “The Horgan government is getting terrible grades on old-growth, and is currently failing to keep one of its key election promises.”

In its initial response in September, the province acknowledged status quo management of old-growth forests had “caused a loss of biodiversity,” recognized the “need to do better” and announced nine deferral areas encompassing 353,000 hectares. Horgan and the BC NDP have claimed these deferrals ‘protected old-growth,’ but a closer review revealed most of this area is either already under some form of protection or is second growth forest and still open to logging.

According to independent experts, as of 2020, only about 415,000 hectares of old-growth forest with big trees remain in B.C., mostly without protection. Only 3,800 hectares, or one per cent of the remaining fraction of this kind of forest was included in the government’s deferral areas. Old-growth logging continues at an average rate of hundreds of soccer fields per day, always targeting the biggest accessible trees that remain. 

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Reflecting polling results show more than 90% support for old-growth protection, the old-growth panel report found broad agreement for a paradigm-shift to respond to the biodiversity crisis in B.C.’s forests. The lack of social license for continued old-growth logging in the province is also highlighted by the ongoing blockades at Fairy Creek on unceded Pacheedaht territory (southern Vancouver Island), which have been in place for seven months.

“Nothing the Horgan government has done so far is preventing the most endangered old-growth forests in the province from being mowed down, and the public knows it,” said Torrance Coste, national campaign director for the Wilderness Committee. “The BC government must immediately defer logging in at-risk old-growth and commit substantial funding to support the economic diversification of First Nations and forestry communities to ensure the long term sustainability of both jobs and the environment.”

Ancient Forest Alliance, Sierra Club BC and the Wilderness Committee will continue to mobilize their tens of thousands of supporters and hold the government accountable on it’s old-growth promises. The next report card will be issued on Sep. 11, 2021.


Outside Magazine: Forest Selfies Are Helping Save B.C.'s Old-Growth Trees

The public response to the before and after images of ancient trees cut down in the Caycuse watershed has been overwhelming. In this Outside Magazine piece, I chat with Malcolm Johnson about the process involved with capturing the beauty and loss of old-growth forests and what's needed to protect them.

“I’d love it if the need for my job didn’t exist. There are plenty of things I’d rather be doing than trudging around photographing giant stumps. It’s emotionally exhausting work, and it’s devastating to go back and see these places that you’ve grown to love get destroyed. Someday it would be nice to not associate feelings of anxiety with the forests I care about and just be able to rest knowing that they’ll be around for generations to come. It’s as simple as that, really."

See the photos and read the article here: https://www.outsideonline.com/2420507/bc-forests-photos-before-after

Before & after old-growth logging of a giant cedar in the Caycuse Valley on Vancouver Island.

McKelvie Valley near Tahsis to be Protected from Logging

Nice to start the year off with some good news! It looks like the amazing McKelvie Valley near Tahsis will be protected from logging! Congrats to Mayor Martin Davis, the village of Tahsis, and everyone who advocated for its protection over the years. See the news article with details here.

Located in Mowachaht/Muchalaht territory, the McKelvie is the last intact watershed in the Tahsis region and is home to incredible old-growth forests, important wildlife habitat, and is the source of drinking water for the community. Western Forest Products had previously planned to blast roads and clearcut vast swaths of the valley, as highlighted in our 2019 Community Spotlight video below.

It's a great feeling to know that this beautiful area will now remain pristine for years to come and that public efforts and advocacy can and do make a difference!

Caycuse Before & After Old-Growth Logging

This is not a series I ever hoped to complete but the following are before and after images of giant ancient cedars cut in the Caycuse watershed in Ditidaht territory on southern Vancouver Island. Earlier this month I revisited a magnificent grove that I had explored and photographed earlier this year, only this time it was the stumps of those same trees that would be my focus. Gone were the vibrant flourishes of red, green, and gold. Instead, a bleak, grey landscape lay before, utterly unrecognizable from what I remembered. Heart wrenching as they are, I hope these images stand as stark example of what is still happening everyday across BC everyday and what needs to end now.

We need everyone to SPEAK UP!! Contact Premier John Horgan and demand that the BC NDP show they're serious about saving old-growth by immediately halting logging in the most endangered forests and allocating funding in Budget 2021 for Indigenous protected areas and economic alternatives to old-growth logging.

• Email John Horgan here: premier@gov.bc.ca or here: www.ancientforestalliance.org/send-a-message
• Phone him at: 250-387-1715

CBC News: Conservationists demand fast action from B.C.'s new forestry minister on protection for old-growth trees
The Guardian: Photography campaign shows the grim aftermath of logging in Canada's fragile forests
The Narwhal: In photos: see old-growth go from stand to stump on B.C.’s Vancouver Island
Outside Magazine: Forest Selfies Are Helping Save BC’s Old-Growth Trees
Treehugger: Photos Raise Alarm Over Old-Growth Logging in British Columbia

BC government Releases Old Growth Strategic Review Panel’s Report - Takes First Small Step Towards Potential Big Changes for Old-Growth

BREAKING: The BC government has released the Old Growth Strategic Review Panel’s report and announced it will immediately defer logging in nine areas, including the famous Clayoquot Sound and the intact McKelvie Valley near Tahsis, and protect up to 1,500 of BC’s biggest trees while it works to develop a new provincial approach to old-growth management. More deferrals are also expected after further discussions with First Nations.

These first steps are an encouraging start and the result of concerned people like you speaking up! Thank you!!

But more work still needs to be done. The vast majority of productive big tree ancient forests, of which only 3% remain in BC, are still at-risk. There are also no funding commitments yet for the transition to sustainable, second-growth forestry, for new Indigenous Protected Areas, or for the economic diversification of First Nations communities.

The panel’s report is a blueprint for a complete paradigm shift in how BC manages old-growth forests. Now, the province must commit to fully implementing all 14 recommendations.

• Read our Ancient Forest Alliance press release below for details and our full response: https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/bc-old-growth-panel-report-announcement/

• See the BC government's announcement here: https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2017-2021/2020FLNR0058-001711.htm

• Read the Old Growth Strategic Review panel's report here: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/563/2020/09/STRATEGIC-REVIEW-20200430.pdf

An aerial view of old-growth forests in Clayoquot Sound, part of a 260,578 ha temporary deferral that will prohibit logging in this area.

Anderson Lake Hike - Walbran Valley

Spent the weekend in the Walbran and hiked out to Anderson Lake for a swim. In the 15 years I've been going out there now, somehow I’ve never made it all the way to the lake! Thanks to recent trail improvements though by rockstar volunteers, it's much easier to find the way there now. Still a decent trek though - about a 10km round trip that includes a log jam crossing - but nice to take a dip in the lake as a reward! The Sitka spruce are hugely impressive as well and thankfully protected within the provincial park, unlike the endangered cedar groves growing nearby. Maxine’s Tree, one of Canada’s largest sitka spruce trees, is a wonder to behold. It grows about 3/4 of the way along to the trail to Anderson Lake. GPS coordinates for the tree: 48.669953, -124.598958. Google map: https://goo.gl/maps/37aoMxodcJtKYPyg9

Maxine's Tree, one of Canada's largest spruce trees! 265ft tall and 13.2ft wide. A true giant!

Independent Report Reveals BC Government Misleading Public on Status of Old-Growth Forests

On my birthday last week, an independent report titled "BC's Old Growth Forest: A Last Stand for Biodiversity" was published revealing the dire state of productive old-growth forests in BC (see below).

Despite the brutal reality this research has highlighted, I still consider it one of the best presents ever in that it unequivocally dispels the misleading statistics and tricks peddled by the BC government that try to make it seem like there is no crisis in the woods. They can't hide from this one though and it's already making an impact. My deepest gratitude extends to the report's authors, Dr. Rachel Holt, Dr. Karen Price, and Dave Daust for their most important work on this.

Below are some of the key findings of the report:

1. The BC government maintains there are 13.2 million hectares of old-growth in BC, but fails to acknowledge that only 400,000 ha (or 3%) of those old forests are capable of growing big trees.

2. Highly productive forests with the potential to grow very large trees (like the ones we feature in our photos) cover less than 3% of the province. 97.3% of this 3% has been logged and only 2.7% remains as old-growth.

3. Most (over 75%) of the fraction of remaining high productivity old-growth forests are slated for logging.

4. The province's old-growth protection levels are grossly inadequate, placing most higher productivity forest ecosystems across the province at "high risk" of species loss and losing ecological integrity.

The report's authors, Ancient Forest Alliance, and other conservation groups are calling on the Province to:

1) Enact immediate logging moratoria in:
- all endangered forest types with less than 10 percent old-growth remaining;
- all high productivity old and mature forests;
- landscape units (i.e. clusters of watersheds) at "high risk" of losing ecological integrity;
- very old, irreplaceable forests; and
- remaining intact areas or old-growth ‘hotspots’ like Vancouver Island's Central Walbran Valley.

2) Set legislated, science-based old-growth protection targets for endangered old-growth across the province.

More to come on this but in the meantime you can always contact your MLA to voice your concerns around protecting old-growth (Look them up here: https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members) or send a message to the BC Government here: https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/send-a-message.

Media Coverage:

• The Narwhal: B.C. old-growth data ‘misleading’ public on remaining ancient forest: independent report 
• Vancouver Sun: Scientists conclude B.C.'s count of old-growth forest greatly overestimated
• CBC News: B.C. vastly overestimates size of its old-growth forest, independent researchers say
• Victoria News: Big old trees almost gone forever in B.C., scientists warn
• CKPG Today (with TV news piece): Old growth forests logged to ecological limits: Report

Before & after of BC’s 9th widest known Douglas-fir tree, cut down by BC Timber Sales in the Nahmint Valley near Port Alberni.