Learn from two of Vancouver Island’s leading foresters about the fascinating history of eco-forestry, its role in nurturing nature’s ecosystems and how we can protect and restore our forests as part of the climate change solution.

Peter Jungwirth is a Registered Professional Forester in both BC and Austria (from where he immigrated). He is also a certified Arborist, tree risk assessor and faller. Prior to immigrating, Peter worked in Forestry research. In BC, he has been active as a forestry and arboriculture consultant, and also as a hands-on arborist. Peter is co-chair of the Wildwood Ecoforestry Institute Society (EIS) and a board member. He has designed and instructed several ecoforestry courses and will lead EIS programs on this.

Erik Piikkila is a BC Forester in Training with Ecoforestry experience in BC, Finland, the US Pacific Northwest, Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Redwoods of California. He was trained by the world renowned ecoforester, Jerry Franklin. At the BC Ministry of Forests, his work involved assisting major forest companies with many different operations, as well as implemented the BC Forest Practices Code. Erik is also a board member of the Wildwood EIS Forestry Management Committee. Most recently, Erik has been offering a 4Seasons Eco School to K–12 students, providing eco-tours of Wildwood to university students, and is involved with several watershed groups in the Cowichan Valley.

Links mentioned in the presentation: Great Bear Rainforest Ecosystem Based Management, Science for the Great Bear Rainforest Agreement, Retention Forestry, A BC Gov Publication, Silviculture Systems Handbook with includes several Retention Harvesting Systems

 

 

Creative Solutions for a New World – Let’s Shift This!

One of the main ways we can help create the change we want to see, is to send letters and call our elected officials. The more people who do this, the better.

To simplify this process, Kathleen Code, Vice-chair and Communications Director of the Ecoforestry Institute Society, and Jonathan O’Riordan, founder of the Climate and the Arts Series, have drafted this letter which we invite you to cut, paste and share by email and on social media by sharing this post.

As well, as an added convenience, we have supplied the email addresses and phone numbers for the key people who need to know that there is public support for a new forestry framework.

Please send this letter to everyone noted on this list, plus find your MLA with the link provided and add them too. Please cc info@creativelyunited.org. We will follow up with these elected officials to remind them there is public support. Having your voice, and that of your family, friends, co-workers and networks, is what we need to shift this. It will only take a minute or two of your time!

Anything is possible, let’s make this happen!

 

The 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.

Signed:

(Your name here)

 

Email this letter and/or phone:

Hon. George Heyman, Environment and Climate Change Strategy
ENV.Minister@gov.bc.ca
1-250-387-1187

Hon. Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
FLNR.Minister@gov.bc.ca
1-250-387-6240

Hon. Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Natural Resources
seamus.oregan@parl.gc.ca
1-613-992-0927

Hon. Michelle Mungall, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness
JTT.Minister@gov.bc.ca
1-250-356-2771

Hon. Scott Fraser, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
IRR.Minister@gov.bc.ca
1-250-953-4844

Also, please send a copy to your MLA. Find your MLA’s email here:
https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members

Please be sure to cc: info@creativelyunited.org when sending your letter.
Thank YOU!

 

Additional Q&A with Peter Jungwirth

Q. I love the forest, to walk in it; grew up near here. Am concerned with invasives. It’s invasive plant month. Are you concerned with it, in local forests, especially ivy and daphne, from a tree’s point of view? Can you address each of these separately. Perhaps they aren’t the problem that I think they are, from the point of ecosystem services which trees provide.

A. I am not an invasive species specialist. Ivy can definitely kill a tree, but it usually takes a while and thus there is time to save the tree. As long as it does not take away light from the tree, I think it does not diminish the tree’s ecosystem services significantly I think. I haven’t seen Ivy at Wildwood. Not familiar with Daphne. At Wildwood I have noticed Blackberry and Holly, but I am sure there is more.

Q. What do you consider to be a middle-sized forest?

A. Roughly up to 1,000 ha, just my take

Q. What is your annual budget for staff and other expenses? Thanks for the info.

A. We are a volunteer-based organization and have no staff with a $75,000 annual budget. Our only contractors are currently for a part-time naturalist for our education programming.

Q. If you favour natural regeneration how do you adjust the forest species to rapid climate change, which occurs faster than trees can adapt to it?

A. I prefer to observe what is happening in a specific forest before jumping to the conclusion that the forest depends on our help. What I have observed so far at Wildwood is that Grand fir and Cedar are struggling and dying on dry sites, but are doing fine on the moister sites. I haven’t observed Douglas fir to obviously suffer, but some are probably getting stressed on the driest sites. Natural seeding is usually abundant and has a wide variety of genetics – for moister and drier sites. Where the micro site matches the genetics, it will work out for a while, especially if you have tall trees and several layers of trees as the climate is more moderated in such forests. If you have more dead wood on the forest floor and keep the soil healthy, trees with the help of fungi will be able to get to moisture longer. Making forests more resilient and letting them absorb more carbon and trusting that the right seeds will get to the right site is my preference over thinking that we know better what should grow where. Not convinced that healthy forests won’t be able to handle it (with some difficulties).

Q. The BC government seems to be relying on “talk and log” tactics. I.e., they create ‘engagements’ to ‘consult’ on what BC citizens want, but they don’t act on the findings and they continue logging while the consultations are going on. The gov’t isn’t listening.

A. I think the government is listening somewhat. They like to know what the majority thinks to be able to get re-elected. To change forest policy is certainly not going to happen fast, unless we have dramatic things happening. The government is also dependent on their donors and thus gets its hands tied. There should be a low limit for political donations so the government can act more in the interest of the people. There is hope, especially if we keep on pushing them!

Q. Can the public visit? once things open again

A. Absolutely! Check out our website ecoforestry.ca for details – nothing offered right now due to COVID. A regular tour used to be every 3rd Sunday of the month. You can send an email via the website (under the tab “Connect”) and express that you would like to be notified about the next tour.

Q. Please go over again the explanation you gave regarding Table A 4.2. Thanks.

A. I think, if you have a chance to look a bit at the table (on p. 92), it will become clear
https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/bib19715.pdf
here is another online version: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/ftp/hfp/external/!publish/FPC%20archive/old%20web%20site%20contents/fpc/fpcguide/biodiv/biotoc.htm
If not, give me a call 250-334-4559

Q. Will you please make this image figure 4 available to participants, is very telling. thank you .

A. Here it is:
https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/ftp/hfp/external/!publish/FPC%20archive/old%20web%20site%20contents/fpc/fpcguide/biodiv/taba42.htm

Q. What is the chance of the Island moving towards an Annual Allowable Cut of 30%? Does Wildwood have any input in provincial forest practices?

A. I did not want to suggest that 30% of the growth rate is the lowest possible cut for ecoforestry to be possible. It might be as high as 70%, I don’t know and nobody knows. It would have to be researched with long term trials. I think it will only be possible to gradually reduce the cut and to extend the rotation age. Extending the rotation age (without thinnings or very minor ones) would be very beneficial.