Protect Fairy Creek Watershed

Last spring, Creatively United for the Planet in partnership with the Ecoforestry Institute Society issued two letters calling for a New Forest Framework in British Columbia and Managing Ecosystem Values in British Columbia

Both letters called for a shift from industrial style logging to an eco-centric approach to forests recognizing that we are part of nature and must work with nature.

On Friday September 11, the BC government released it Old Growth Strategy. One of the recommendations was to defer logging old growth in nine watersheds across the Province totaling 353,000 ha.

We are extremely disappointed that Fairy Creek in the San Juan Watershed on Vancouver Island was not included in old growth areas set aside from logging. This area, one of the last intact watersheds on Vancouver Island outside protected areas, is clearly at risk as logging roads are now accessing the watershed.

We, the undersigned, call on the Provincial Government to defer logging in Fairy Creek watershed until the promised review of the Old Growth Strategy is completed

Forest experts Garry Merkel and Al Gorley pointed out in their excellent report accompanying the Old Growth Review titled A New Future for Old Forests that if logging continues in old growth areas almost all such areas will be at high biodiversity risk. Accordingly they made the following recommendation:

‘Declare conservation of ecosystem health and biodiversity of British Columbia’s forests as an overarching priority and enact legislation that legally establishes this priority for all sectors’

The Provincial government has not endorsed this recommendation

We, the undersigned, fully support this recommendation and intend to hold the provincial government to account to ensure it is fully implemented.

Present forest policy dictates that biodiversity values can be protected only where such protection does not unreasonably impact logging potential. This recommendation appears to override this constraint and enables nature based forest management to become the primary factor in future forest decisions.

As we said in our previous letter, time is of the essence – we must commit to this recommended shift to ecoforestry management now.

Signed

(Your name here)

Second 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 these letters 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!