Entries by TJ Watt

Diverse Crowd of 500 Environmentalists, First Nations, Forestry Workers and Business Owners call for Political Leadership to Protect Old-Growth Forests and Ensure Sustainable Forestry Jobs

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About 500 people in a diverse crowd of conservationists, forestry workers, First Nations, business owners, and union members showed up today in the heavy rain in Victoria for a rally organized by the Ancient Forest Alliance. Despite the morning downpour, spirits were high, and the clouds parted as the protesters marched their way towards the BC Legislative buildings from Centennial Square.

22,000-Strong Petition Calls on BC Government to Protect BC’s Old-Growth Forests, Ensure Sustainable Second-Growth Logging, and to End Raw Log Exports

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The groundswell of citizens’ support for new, sustainable forest policies in BC, only 2 months before a BC election, will be evident today with the introduction of the “Petition to Protect British Columbia’s Endangered Old-Growth Forests and Forestry Jobs” into the Legislative Assembly on its last day this session by NDP MLA Scott Fraser (Alberni – Pacific Rim) this afternoon.

Environmentalists approve Liberal move on forest tenure

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"It would have made it harder to establish new protected areas, to protect scenery, and tourism opportunities. It would have made it more lengthy and difficult and complex to settle First Nations treaties, and it would have also taken away a lot of lands that communities would have wanted for community forestry."

Tourism in the Discovery Islands feels the force of logging

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"It’s heart-wrenching,' Ralph Keller, a spokesman for the Discovery Islands Marine Tourism Group, said Tuesday. 'The Discovery Islands are probably the most geographically spectacular islands in the world … [but] in some places we have gone from beautifully forested shorelines to industrial logging … these channels have just been nuked."

B.C. backs off on changes to licensing forest lands

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The provincial government has backed away from a plan that critics claim would have radically reduced public control of forest land. Conservationists, who were girding for a full-fledged fight over proposed changes to the Forest Act, reacted with delight Tuesday after Forests Minister Steve Thomson said he was withdrawing plans to allow a rollover of volume-based forest licences to area-based tree farm licences.The backdown appears to be sparked by a massive public uproar

Environmentalists Sigh with Relief as BC Liberals Back Down from “Forest Giveaway Bill” to expand Tree Farm Licences (TFL’s) on Public Lands

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Massive public uproar spearheaded by Independent MLA Bob Simpson and environmental groups causes BC Liberals to delete Section 24 (aka. “The Forest Giveaway Bill”) in omnibus Bill 8 that would have empowered BC’s Minister of Forests to grant exclusive logging rights over vast areas of public lands for major forest companies. Conservationists continue to push for old-growth protection legislation, sustainable second-growth forestry, and an end to raw log exports. Thousands of emails sent to BC government through https://www.BCForestMovement.com