Conservationists call on BC Government to help purchase endangered old-growth forests on Island Timberlands’ deregulated lands, including McLaughlin Ridge in Port Alberni’s drinking watershed, following BC Teachers Federation motion, Port Alberni city council resolution, and now Island Timberlands’ potential interest in selling McLaughlin Ridge.
Every fall, hundreds of eagles descend upon the Fraser Valley to roost in the treetops surrounding Echo Lake. Experts say there is no other place like it in the world. “This is eagle central. It’s the place that if you want to protect the largest concentration of raptors on earth, this is just about it here,” says Ken Wu of Ancient Forest Alliance…. The fight continues to protect old-growth forest from logging. While the B.C. Government announcing 55 hectares were protected as old growth management areas, there are still 40 hectares that fall under a woodlot license.
“These biodiversity surveys show that protecting all of Echo Lake’s surrounding old-growth and mature forests is important not only for saving the largest night-roosting site for bald eagles on Earth, but also for a large diversity of other species, including many species at risk,” stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director. “And these new findings are just the tip of the iceberg from just a single weekend of surveys – future surveys will undoubtedly turn up much more. It further re-enforces the fact that it should be a no-brainer for the BC government to protect all of Echo Lake’s surrounding forests.”
"Up to 700 bald eagles roost in a small grove of old-growth trees around Echo Lake in the Fraser Valley each fall. Does this sound like the kind of place that should be logged?…When salmon return to spawn, the eagles spend their days feasting on fish on the river banks, then, just as darkness descends, fly up to roost in the towering Douglas firs and cedars surrounding Echo Lake…Mr. Ben-Oliel, with support from the Ancient Forest Alliance, started a campaign in 2012 to save the Echo Lake forest. In 2013, the government protected 55 hectares – just over half the old-growth around the lake. But Mr. Ben-Oliel is horrified the plan still allows about 40 hectares of old growth and mature forest to be logged on the north and west sides of the lake."
Mission, BC – A biodiversity survey (ie "Bio-Blitz") of an extremely rare but endangered, lowland old-growth forest between Mission and Agassiz (about a 2 hour drive east of Vancouver), the Echo Lake Ancient Forest, famous for its bald eagles, has revealed that it is also home to a large diversity of flora and fauna. This includes many species at risk such as various species of bats, frogs, snails, dragonflies, and moss. The surveys, conducted over a weekend last year by biologists and naturalists, and coordinated by the Ancient Forest Alliance, have now been compiled and will be submitted to the BC Ministry of Environment’s Conservation Data Centre and Wildlife Species Inventory. Over 2 days, approximately 174 plant, 55 vertebrate, 153 invertebrate, and 38 fungi species were found around Echo Lake.
Congratulations to the AFA’s photographer and campaigner TJ Watt, who through popular vote was tied for first place in the local Eco-Hero competition by Hemp & Company! We're proud of TJ, who's photography has gone around the world to highlight the beauty and the plight of BC’s endangered old-growth forests. Thanks for everyone's support and votes!
Logging company officials maintain harvesting increases in the Comox Lake watershed in recent decades had nothing to do with the extended boil water advisory in the Courtenay area. But as more severe storms wreck havoc on the ecosystem, which provides the drinking water for tens of thousands in the Comox Valley, a local conservation group says it's time to rethink forestry practices.
The Port Alberni Watershed Forest Alliance has been relentless in their campaign to save the old-growth forests around Port Alberni, at McLaughlin Ridge, the Cameron Valley Ancient Forest, Horne Mountain (above Cathedral Grove) and Katlum Creek. Led by Jane Morden and a great local team, they are real forest heroes in this province!
Here's a new Alberni Valley Times article about the old-growth forests at McLaughlin Ridge, which conservationists are pushing the BC government to protect:
As logging continues in McLaughlin Ridge, the B.C. Teachers Federation voted to ask Island Timberlands to sell the forestry land it owns in the steeply sloped area. The motion passed Jan. 31 at a BCTF assembly of district representatives, urging the forestry company to sell McLaughlin Ridge to "an organization(s) that will conserve and preserve forest lands."
The old growth forest is within the China Creek watershed, the drinking water source for more than 20,000 people in Port Alberni and Beaver Creek. Ken Zydyk, president of the Alberni Teachers Union, said the request for Island Timberlands to divest the land was first approved by public educators in Port Alberni.
"There are many teachers concerned about the current practices of Island Timberlands," he said.
"Teachers are uncomfortable that we put some of our salary towards our pension, it's like a savings account that we access later," Zydyk said, adding that the concern was if teachers' funds are "being used in a socially responsible way."
The forestry company has met with municipal officials on almost a monthly basis since city council voted last August to join a lobbying effort to halt harvesting in McLaughlin Ridge.
This push is being led by the Watershed Forest Alliance, a local environmental group that fears the forestry activity is unsustainable, harming McLaughlin Ridge's wildlife and compromising Port Alberni's source of drinking water.
The Ancient Forest Alliance would like to give great thanks to the local businesses, green enterprises, environmental foundations, artists and other organizations whose generous support has allowed us to more effectively campaign for the protection of BC’s endangered old-growth forests. See here for an overview of 2014 donors!
For more details on supporting the AFA as a business, artist or other organization, see here.
For a full list of businesses, artists and other organizations that have supported the AFA, see here.
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