The latest coverage on the old-growth issue in Macleans’ Magazine is a great read that takes a look back at the original 'War of the Woods', what's building again today on Vancouver Island, and how visual imagery is helping millions of people become aware and care about this crisis in the age of social media. Read the article here: www.macleans.ca/longforms/british-columbia-old-growth-trees
Published and News
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.
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.
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.
News Coverage
National Observer: B.C. is flunking on old-growth forests, environmental report card says
The Globe & Mail: B.C. urged to protect at-risk old-growth forests while it works to transform policy
Times Colonist: Province failing to protect old growth forests, environmental groups say
Globe & Mail: Nothing but delays: Old-growth logging continues as B.C.’s commitments to change slip
The Tyee: BC Promised to Protect Old Growth. How Is It Doing?
Treehugger - Photos Raise Alarm Over Old-Growth Logging in British Columbia
The following is an interview & photo essay with Treehugger.com. With 120 million annual readers, the continued destruction of BC's endangered forests is now reaching a global audience. www.treehugger.com/photos-raise-alarm-old-growth-logging-british-columbia-5115170
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
in Exposed, Logging, Forests, Press, Published and News
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
MEGA Wave Day - Round II
The forces of nature once again aligned and unleashed a mind-blowing display of raw power and beauty along the west coast of Vancouver Island this past Sunday. A 6.5m/20ft+ swell combined with a king tide to produce waves of enormous size that thundered and roared against the rocks. This day was on par with the huge waves I photographed earlier this year in January. Never thought I would see something so impressive again! Humbling to say the least. Fine art prints available at: www.tjwatt.com/prints or email prints@tjwatt.com if you don’t see the one you’re looking for.
* The photos are now reaching the news! See a CTV article here and KOMO News article here.
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.