B.C. Old-Growth Panelists Express Alarm Over Continued Logging

Canada - Ekhbary News Agency

B.C. Old-Growth Panelists Express Alarm Over Continued Logging

Former members of a key advisory panel tasked with identifying and recommending protection for British Columbia's endangered old-growth forests have issued a stark warning: the province is failing to uphold its commitments, allowing logging to continue in some of the most ecologically significant and irreplaceable ancient forests.

The five former panelists—ecologists Rachel Holt and Karen Price, landscape analyst Dave Daust, veteran forester Garry Merkel, and economist Lisa Matthaus—have formally communicated their deep concerns in a document submitted this week to Premier David Eby, Forests Minister Ravi Parmar, and Minister of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship Randene Neill. Their message is clear: the provincial government's strategy to defer logging in these vital ecosystems has not been effectively implemented, leading to continued destruction.

The panel was established in response to the 2020 recommendations of an Old-Growth Strategic Review. Its mandate was to identify forests at very high and near-term risk of irreversible biodiversity loss. In November 2021, the panel delivered its findings, mapping approximately 2.6 million hectares of unprotected old-growth forest requiring urgent attention. The understanding was that these deferrals would serve as an interim measure, creating a crucial window for comprehensive, long-term planning and conservation strategies.

However, the panelists argue that this crucial window has been compromised. "Instead, the B.C. government continues to approve logging in forests the panel identified, while long-term plans have yet to be finalized," stated Dr. Holt in a recent interview. This situation is described in their document as not only a "moral failure" but also a "high economic, ecological and social risk." The implication of continued logging in these areas is a step closer to irreversible ecosystem collapse.

Evidence supporting these claims has emerged from public mapping data. A review of B.C. government mapping reveals approximately half a dozen proposed cut blocks by BC Timber Sales (the province's timber marketing agency) that directly overlap with ancient and big-treed forests in sensitive areas. Notable examples include locations on the slopes around Nahmint Lake, southwest of Port Alberni, and in the Tsitika area on northeastern Vancouver Island. While the mapping website itself notes that proposed harvest areas may require further planning and consultation, the existence of these overlaps is deeply concerning to the former panel members.

The government has previously stated its commitment to protecting old-growth. Forests Minister Parmar remarked last month that deferring 2.6 million hectares was "one of the first things that we did as a government" after receiving the strategic review report. However, official announcements indicate that only just over 350,000 hectares were initially deferred in September 2020. The subsequent mapping by the panel and requests for deferral support from over 200 First Nations have yielded mixed results.

According to the Ministry of Forests, deferrals for about half of the 2.6 million hectares identified by the panel "are not currently supported by First Nations." While First Nations have supported deferrals for approximately 1.1 million hectares and identified an additional 0.9 million as priorities, the lack of broad consensus, coupled with ongoing logging approvals, fuels the panel's alarm. Minister Parmar emphasized that respecting First Nations' rights and title was "the core" of the review, ensuring their "seat at the table."

The panelists highlight a critical gap in the process: conservation financing. "Conservation financing, or funding in lieu of foregone logging revenues, has not been part of the deferral conversation," their document states. This absence of financial support mechanisms, they contend, "leaves First Nations with no real choice" but to potentially permit logging to sustain their economies, especially when alternatives are not adequately provided. The panel is urging the province to take greater responsibility for the preservation of these forests, rather than placing the burden entirely on Indigenous communities.

The Ministry of Forests maintains that deferrals were intended as a temporary measure and that the focus is shifting towards long-term forest landscape planning. These plans involve extensive engagement with First Nations, communities, and industry stakeholders across more than a dozen regions. The ministry assures that these processes will incorporate "meaningful engagement" to shape the future of B.C.'s forests, addressing biodiversity, climate resilience, watershed health, wildfire risk, and economic opportunities.

Despite these assurances, Dr. Holt, who is involved in one of the regional planning processes, points to the continued overlap with proposed logging areas, including some of the highest-value old-growth stands. She expressed shock at the extent of this overlap, particularly in areas like the Nahmint Valley, renowned for its "extreme high value" old-growth forests, some of which have already been logged. The ministry, however, has pushed back against claims that BC Timber Sales is targeting the "best of the best," asserting its activities are guided by sustainable management principles and include considerations for multiple values. They also noted that operations proceed according to government-to-government agreements where First Nations do not support deferrals.

The core issue remains the discrepancy between the panel's urgent recommendations for protection and the ongoing reality of logging approvals, raising fears that critical old-growth ecosystems may be lost before long-term solutions can be implemented. The panelists' call for provincial responsibility and adequate financing underscores the complex challenge of balancing conservation with economic interests in British Columbia's vital forest sector.

Ekhbary News Agency