Entries by TJ Watt

Eco-groups regard new forest tenure legislation as ‘land grab’

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This appears to be essentially a giveaway to big companies,” said Jessica Clogg, a lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law who specializes in forestry issues. She was referring to a tenure rollover plan given first reading last week that …would give forest companies the ability to convert their volume-based forest tenures to area-based tenures called tree farm licences.“We have seen a lot of consolidation in the industry and this is setting us up for that last grab by those that are left standing to lock down their rights,” she said Thursday. “I see a clash of the titans over the B.C. land base.

Documents show government is already breaking proposed forestry law

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Independent MLA Bob Simpson says documents show that the BC Liberals have no intention of following their proposed law to enable the conversion of volume-based forest …licenses to area-based tenures.'It’s clear from the leaked cabinet document and Minister Thomson’s letter that Hampton Affiliates has already been promised the first Tree Farm License under the Liberals’ proposed legislation,' said the MLA for Cariboo North. 'The government doesn’t have the right to make this offer because there is no legal way they can fulfill it unless Bill 8 passes.
 

B.C’s Remaining Old-Growth Forests Non-Renewable: Sierra Club Report

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The B.C. government continues to look for ways to feed more timber to struggling sawmills through proposed Forest Act changes, but the government is failing to consider the massive role intact old-growth forests play in fighting climate change, says the report, Carbon at Risk: B.C.’s Unprotected Old-growth Rainforest.

Feb. 28th Presentation at SFU: The Ancient Forest Alliance’s Pre-Election Campaign with Ken Wu

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Hear about the Ancient Forest Alliance's campaign to ensure that the fate of BC's ancient forests and forestry jobs are central election issues in the next several months leading up to the May 14, 2013 provincial election.  Learn about the ecology and politics of BC's old-growth forests, see TJ Watt's spectacular photos of the Upper Walbran Valley, Fangorn Forest, Echo Lake Ancient Forest, Christy Clark Grove, Cortes Island, Stillwater Bluffs, Day Road Forest, McLaughlin Ridge, and other endangered ancient forests.

BC Government Protects about half of Echo Lake’s Old-Growth Forests

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The BC government has protected about half or more of old-growth forests around Echo Lake, an extremely rare, lowland old-growth forest between Mission and Agassiz in the Fraser Valley east of Vancouver. The Ministry of Forests made the announcement last week, where about 55 hectares of old-growth forests have been included in an Old-Growth Management Area (OGMA) on Crown lands primarily on the south side of Echo Lake.

Pine Beetle used as Trojan Horse to Increase Privatization of BC’s Forests through Ministerial Fiat instead of Democratic Legislative Vote

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On Wednesday, the BC Liberal government introduced a proposed bill that would enable the massive increase of private property rights for major logging companies on BC’s public forest lands by empowering the Forest Minister to quickly create new Tree Farm Licences (TFL’s) in BC through fiat – that is, through policy decree rather than through a vote in the Legislative Assembly of elected politicians (Members of the Legislative Assembly – MLA’s).