To access more timber, the B.C. government is floating a plan that includes logging in areas that were previously off limits for environmental or "visual quality objectives" and changing the boundaries of forest districts to add timber to one district at the expense of another.
A major forest sector union is coming out against proposals from the British Columbia government that could see protected areas opened to logging.
The B.C. government plans to relax logging restrictions on about 9,500 hectares of Crown land, including the well-loved getaway of Harrison Lake.
This week the Ancient Forest Alliance has launched a campaign, including a new petition, the distribution of 50,000 new brochures into key communities, and outreach to other conservation and recreation groups, calling on the BC Liberal government to establish a dedicated “BC Park Acquisition Fund” of at least $40 million per year. The fund would raise $400 million over 10 years, enabling the timely purchase of significant tracts of endangered private lands of high conservation, scenic, and recreation value to add to BC’s parks and protected areas system.
Two seemingly disparate organizations, the Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC), a union of several thousand BC sawmill and pulp mill workers, and the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA), a non-profit conservation organization, are joining forces to defend forest reserves in BC’s Interior from a BC government proposal to log them.
The great folks at the Tall Tree Music Festival donated 10 tickets to the AFA (our's just sold out! Additional tickets available at www.talltreemusicfestival.com) to sell for their third-annual event happening this June 21, 22 & 23! The fesitval (19+) is set in the rugged hills of Port Renfew not far from the Avatar Grove and features 3 nights of great live music, awesome DJ's and amazing people! If you've been the previous years, you know this is not a weekend to miss! A HUGE thanks to the Tall Tree Society for their continued support towards the protection of BC's ancient forests!
Please help us LABEL and STUFF Envelopes, have some pizza and drinks, and meet other local tree-huggers! 6:30-9:30 pm (both days), Media One Studio, #201-2612 Bridge Street (near Bay St.). Please use the side door below the stairs in the parking lot beside the brown building. Park along the street, not in the private lot. *Note – If you have an extra folding chair, please bring it if possible in case we run out of seats!
The Ancient Forest Alliance, which brought Avatar Grove into the public eye and lobbied for its protection, has asked the Forests Ministry for permission to build a trail and boardwalk. "We want to improve accessibility and it's vital to protect the ecology and make sure the tree roots don't get worn down," said TJ Watt, the Alliance campaigner who discovered the grove.
University of Victoria entomologist and old-growth biodiversity specialist Dr. Neville Winchester, president of the Victoria Natural History Society Darren Copley (and former Goldstream Nature Centre chief interpreter) and the Royal BC Museum's senior collections manager of entomology Claudia Copley will be along for the hike to talk about the tremendous diversity of creatures living in our incredible ancient forests!
“Those candelabra tops are a sign of ancient red cedars,” explains T J Watt, cofounder of the Ancient Forest Alliance, a nonprofit organization that seeks to protect old-growth forests and ensure sustainable forestry jobs in B.C. “When I first saw those tops, I knew instantly we’d found a treasure trove of big trees.”
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