Entries by TJ Watt

Logging Around Cathedral Grove Highlights Need For Forestry Engagement

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MLA Andrew Weaver speaks up for Cathedral Grove's protection: "The decision to log the stand owned by Island Timberlands, adjacent to Cathedral Grove, goes against the idea of using a scientific approach to managing our forests. Identified previously as important Black-tailed Deer wintering habitat, the fracturing of this habitat will have adverse effects. Furthermore, Cathedral Grove is an iconic tourist attraction on Vancouver Island – it is unsurprising that there has been such a public backlash against logging activity so close by. This is an example of the current conflict driven model of forestry management – and the negative impacts it has on everyone involved."

No logging old-growth on the Duncan River for now

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The company that holds the forest license that would allow logging to two stands of thousand-year-old cedar deep in the Duncan River valley says that the trees will stay standing – for now.

“There seems to be no official old growth management plan for this area and that means what’s left can be on a hit list whenever. That needs to change.”

‘Clayoquot Conversations: The Legacy and Future of Clayoquot Sound’

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Tues., Nov. 12, 7:30pm

Alix Goolden Hall, 907 Pandora Ave, Victoria BC
Admission by donation.

Clayoquot Sound by Tofino on Vancouver Island contains the largest tracts of remaining lowland ancient forest in southern British Columbia. See several great speakers, including Valerie Langer, veteran campaign and protest organizer in Clayoquot (now ForestEthics forest campaigner), and Elizabeth May, former head of the Sierra Club of Canada (now Green MP).

BCTS drops headwaters block from future plans

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BC Timber Sales (BCTS) has decided to drop the cutblock known as the Roberts Creek headwaters ancient forest from its future harvesting plans, BCTS planning forester Norm Kempe has confirmed.

After Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) “managed to elevate the issue in the public’s eye,” Kempe said his office was contacted by “a number of individuals” requesting the cutblock be permanently set aside

Roberts Creek Headwaters Ancient Forest Receives Protection

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Elphinstone Logging Focus (ELF) is pleased to announce that they’ve been informed by BC Timber Sales (BCTS) that Cutblock DK045, which ELF has been lobbying to protect, has been canceled from future BCTS logging plans. DK045 was part of a larger TFL A79517 (Dakota Bowl, lower Sunshine Coast) consisting of Yellow-cedar and hemlock where the trees range in age from 800-1,800 years old. This key headwaters forest (17.6Ha/43.4acres) is located on the north slope of Mt. Elphinstone, and acts as corridor with 2 Wildlife Habitat Areas.

Old-growth forest near Cathedral Grove to be logged, groups fear

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"Scott Fraser, NDP MLA for Alberni-Pacific Rim, said that when the land went to Island Timberlands, the agreement was cast aside. “These areas were supposed to be left,” said Fraser, who has been working since 2006 to protect the land, including the Port Alberni watershed. “I have so many outraged constituents, including retired loggers who have never seen this kind of forest activity.”

Flagged as ‘critical’ to deer habitat, area near Cathedral Grove was turned over to logging

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"Decade-old government documents show that an area being logged near Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island was identified by Ministry of Environment biologists as critical winter habitat for deer that had to be protected.

Environmental groups have been protesting the logging in recent weeks, arguing that a 40-hectare patch on Mt. Horne is an important wildlife corridor. But Island Timberlands is permitted to log there because the government took the land out of Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 44 in 2004, putting it under a private land management regime that allows the company to decide what’s best for wildlife."

Video: MLA claims wrongful logging

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MLA Scott Fraser for Port Alberni-Pacific speaks up on Cathedral Grove and how the BC government's own biologists opposed deregulation of the old-growth areas intended to be reserved for wildlife – many of which are now being logged by Island Timberlands.

Cathedral Grove threatened by nearby logging, conservationist says

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“Cathedral Grove is B.C.’s iconic old-growth forest that people around the world love – it’s like the redwoods of Canada. The fact that a company can just move to log the mountainside above Canada’s most famous old-growth forest – assisted by the B.C. government’s previous deregulation of those lands and their current failure to take responsibility – underscores the brutal collusion between the B.C. Liberal government and the largest companies to liquidate our ancient forest heritage.”