A Call for a New Forest Framework in British Columbia
Not only do forestry firms acknowledge they permanently destroy majestic old-growth environments, which is NOT sustainable, but they claim they must do so for economic survival. In other words, money trumps the environment at a time when we have enough scientific evidence to prove the importance of retaining the rich biodiverse and unique ecosystems that only old growth forests provide.
Shockingly, the CSA not only condones this practice, but paints it as being environmentally sound. The logging of old-growth trees makes a mockery of the CSA standard and the companies that are certified to it.
Please cut and paste this letter, and feel free to add your personal comments, and send to:
forestryadmin@tealjones.com
melanie.pinatton@csagroup.org
premier@gov.bc.ca
flnr.minister@gov.bc.ca
ENV.Minister@gov.bc.ca
Diane.Nicholls@gov.bc.ca
graham.wells@gov.bc.ca
jesse.russell@ec.gc.ca
LWNRS.Minister@gov.bc.ca
Violations of Z809-16 Criteria
In addition to corrupting the meaning of “sustainable,” old-growth logging violates the Standard’s criterion of ecosystem and species diversity, as the old-growth forest is replaced by monoculture plantations that will never reach a century in age. The B.C. Government recognizes that old-growth forests tend to have more diversity of plant and animal life … than younger forests (B.C. Government, 2020).
There are other ways in which the sustainably certified forestry companies in BC do not protect the environment. After a catastrophic flood in 2018 caused tens of millions of dollars in damage, the B.C. government and timber companies Interfor, Weyerhaeuser and Tolko are being sued by residents of Grand Forks, BC, on grounds that excessive clear-cut logging caused the devastation (Parfitt, 2020). At least one of these companies have received CSA Z809-16 certification for SFM.
Furthermore, 94% of the forest in BC is located on Crown land, and this Crown land is largely located on unceded traditional territory of many First Nations. The remaining old-growth stands are of critical importance to First Nations’ health, heritage, culture and ancestral rights, which are now explicitly and legally protected under the UNDRIP Act of B.C.
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.
Teal Jones MP#5 is in contravention of the Migratory Bird Convention Act, as well as provincial law, and totally ignores the Species At Risk Act (SARA) and should therefore not be permitted to continue business as usual. Certification should be withdrawn from firms that log old-growth trees.
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. We urge you to demonstrate meaningful leadership that works towards this end.
Logging of old-growth forests is NOT sustainable. Yet many forestry firms in British Columbia that conduct such logging are certified to the Sustainable Forest Management standard (Z809-16). The standard should be significantly revised, in particular, removing the word “sustainable” and any references to it, until the practice of logging old-growth trees ceases.
The Trust for Sustainable Forestry, chaired by Order of Canada recipient, Ann Mortifee, advocates that forests be restored to their old-growth splendour, vitality and diversity based on proven ecoforestry practices. The Trust is dismayed that the “Sustainable” in her Trust’s name is totally at odds with the “Sustainable” in the CSA standard. She supports this submission and is submitting an independent request to the CSA to change wording of the standard.
Dr. David Boyd, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Environment for the United Nations and Associate Professor of Law, Policy and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia, is a champion of the environment. He feels the “sustainable” in CSA’s standard for Sustainable Forest Management refers to economic, and not environmental, sustainability, and said, “In light of the global climate emergency and the precipitous decline of biodiversity there is absolutely no justification for continuing to allow the logging of old-growth forests in Canada.”
Dan Hager, the president of the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce has watched tourism zoom since the town labelled itself as the Tall Tree Capital of Canada. “Simple logic,” he said, “it’s more economical to preserve grand old trees than cut them down.” (Tammemagi, 2016) The BC Chambers of Commerce, the largest business-advocacy organization in the province, agreed, voting almost unanimously to accept Port Renfrew’s motion calling for protection for old-growth forests (Smart, 2016).
The Sierra Club of British Columbia contributed the following statement: “Under CSA standards, forest companies have destroyed ancient forests that given climate change are non-renewable and may never been seen again. Profiting on thousands of years of biological diversity for short-term financial gain is in no way sustainable. We urge CSA to remove the word “sustainable” from Standard CSA Z809-16 and recognize that ancient forests managed under this standard are at risk of being lost forever.”
Ann Coombs, B.C. resident, author and former broadcaster, said, “To state that logging old-growth trees is a “sustainable” practice shows a complete lack of responsibility and regard for one of B.C’s greatest and most definitely irreplaceable and needed natural habitats. … Will it be greed under the guise of “sustainable,” or visionary, responsible and historic leadership?”
Two major reports have recently reviewed British Columbia’s forestry situation. The first, A New Future For Old Forests — A Strategic Review of How British Columbia Manages for Old Forests Within its Ancient Ecosystems, by professional foresters Al Gorley and Garry Merkel was done at the request of the BC government and made the recommendation to “defer development in old forests where ecosystems are at very high and near-term risk of irreversible biodiversity loss.” The second report, BC’s Old Growth Forest: A Last Stand for Biodiversity,by Karen Price, Ph.D., Rachel F. Holt, Ph.D., and Dave Daust, concluded: “Apply an immediate moratorium on harvest of old (and mature) forest in any biogeoclimatic variant with less than 10% old forest remaining today.”
Although these two comprehensive reports do not address standard Z809-16, they do advise against the logging of old-growth trees, in direct contradiction to what CSA’s standard supports. Furthermore, Dr. Holt, an author of the second report, endorses this submission and has sent me an email supporting the removal of “sustainable” from Z809-16.
Devon Page, the Executive Director of Ecojustice, Canada’s largest environmental law charity, provided a particularly damning statement, suggesting that CSA’s certification is not legally sound. He stated, “Ecojustice has reviewed the Canadian Standards Association’s Sustainable
Forest Management standard (Z809-16) logging certification scheme, as well as logging conducted pursuant to that scheme. We believe that the scheme does not certify “sustainability” generally as that term is scientifically or legally understood, including because the standard purports to certify as sustainable logging of old-growth forests.”
Raincoast Conservation Foundation has studied the CSA standard CSA Z809-16 in detail, and strongly supports this submission for changes to the standard. Their letter of support, which is also being sent to the CSA, concludes, “we urge those who contribute to the design and implementation of CSA-Z809 to refuse certification to parties that continue to harvest old growth forests in Canada.”
Yves Maynard, a resident of Victoria and retired senior executive with Cogeco has studied the forest products industry and its regulatory framework in B.C. and made an extensive submission to the Old Growth Strategic Review Panel on January 30, 2020. He feels the use of the word “sustainable” and the certification process under the present CSA Z809-16 is being misused by several BC forest industry members to justify the continued clearcutting of the few primary and old growth tree stands remaining in the province and to evade liability for misleading advertising on the marketing of wood products from industrial logging of these rare and irreplaceable tree stands. He is making an independent submission to the CSA.
Barry Gates, co-chair of Ecoforestry Institute Society, is the manager of Wildwood Ecoforest on Vancouver Island where true sustainable forestry is practiced. He supports this submission to remove the word sustainable from the CSA standard.
Elizabeth May, Member of the federal Green Party and MP for supports this initiative, saying, “I am writing in support of an effort led by my constituent Hans Tammemagi to remove the word “sustainable” from the CSA forest management standards until the standard ensures that logging of old growth forest comes to an end.” She is sending her complete letter to the CSA.
The Forest Practices Board, an independent BC forestry watchdog, concluded, in response to a complaint that several monumental trees up to 1,000 years in age near Port Renfrew had been razed, that more should be done to conserve trees of exceptional size, form, age or historical significance (Forest Practices Board, 2011). The Minister of Forests … asked the Provincial Forester to recommend steps for more protection. Nothing was ever done.
Many other organizations and individuals support this submission for change in CSA Z809-16.
Conclusion
Until BC’s forestry industry stops logging old growth timber, the term “sustainable” should be removed from the CSA certification, and the certification should be rescinded for those firms conducting this practice, especially Teal Jones.
References
B.C. Government, 2020.https://engage.gov.bc.ca/
CCFM – Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, A Vision for Canada’s Forests: 2008 and Beyond, 2008. https://www.ccfm.org/pdf/
Doucette, Keith, Nova Scotia report calls for restrictions on clear-cutting, ‘ecological forestry, Globe and Mail, August 21, 2018.
Forest Practices Board, Logging Old-Growth Forest Near Port Renfrew, Complaint Investigation 10093, FPB/IRC/174, 2011.
Harvey, C, telephone conversation with Hans Tammemagi, October 20, 2016.
Lavoie, Judith, Old-growth forest ‘a sea of stumps,’ Times-Colonist newspaper, May 14, 2010.
Middleton, David, Ancient Forests – A Celebration of North America’s Old-Growth Wilderness, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1992.
Nickson, Elizabeth, The Failures of Forest Certification, Frontier Centre for Public Policy, 2015.
http://fcpp.org/wp-content/
Oxford, Oxford English Dictionary, 2019.
Parfitt, Ben, Grand Forks flooding victims file class-action lawsuit against B.C. government, forestry companies, The Narwhal website, September 14, 2020.
Patel, Priya, Email to Hans Tammemagi, Oct.31, 2016.
Patterson, Carol, Port Refrew – Tall Tree Capital of Canada, Roadstories website, 2017. https://roadstories.ca/port-
Smart, Amy, Chamber hugs old-growth trees, Times-Colonist newspaper, June 1, 2016.
Tammemagi, Hans, An Old-Growth Battlefield, British Columbia Magazine, pg. 66-71, Fall, 2016.
United Nations-1, Academic Impact – Sustainability. https://academicimpact.un.org/
United Nations-2, Sustainable Development Goals.