"A B.C. First Nation is set to declare a vast chunk of the Chilcotin as a tribal park, including the site of the controversial proposed New Prosperity mine at Fish Lake. A formal ceremony unveiling Dasiqox Tribal Park is set for Oct. 4, less than four months after a landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling found that the Tsilhqot’in people have title to 1,750 square kilometres of land west of Williams Lake."
Here's an article on the Mossy Maple Grove near Lake Cowichan in British Columbia Magazine, featuring a photo from the AFA’s TJ Watt!
Congratulations to the Cortes Island forest activists who finally got the Whaletown Commons protected, with major help from the Strathcona Regional District. The Whaletown Commons was a forest long under contention, owned by Island Timberlands, that is highly valued by the community and includes veteran old-growth Douglas-firs and cedars scattered throughout, riparian ecosystems, and areas used for children's environmental education.
Great news! The Port Alberni municipal council has unanimously passed a resolution supporting the statement for Island Timberlands to cease and desist from logging McLaughlin Ridge, an ancient forest near Port Alberni in the city's drinking watershed, and for the BC government to ensure its protection. Thanks to our allies at the Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance for getting the resolution passed!
Here's an article in the Alberni Valley Times about the Port Aberni city council unanimously passing a resolution for Island Timberlands to stop logging McLaughlin Ridge and the BC government to protect it. Again thanks to our friends at the Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance for their great work!
The Port Alberni Council of Canadians, Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC) union and various environmental organizations have signed a joint statement calling on Island Timberlands to halt logging the endangered old-growth forests of McLaughlin Ridge near Port Alberni, BC. They asked the BC Liberal government show leadership and ensure the forest’s protection. “The company and the BC government really need to heed the call of so many diverse organizations, otherwise the controversy will only continue to grow,” said Jane Morden from the Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance, which is spearheading the campaign to protect old-growth forests around the region, including McLaughlin Ridge.
In the following article, Island Timberlands seems to be engaged in some sort of misleading PR spin, claiming that they are not logging the ungulate winter range in the core of McLaughlin Ridge, which they most clearly are (see our photos). The core area was mapped to become a Wildlife Habitat Area, which would protect the habitat of the endangered Queen Charlotte Goshawk and at the same time serve to protect the ancient Douglas-fir forest where the ungulates (deer) spend the winter - this is where Island Timberlands has been logging. In addition, Island Timberlands has also logged in areas mapped as UWR in recent years. Stating anything else is either simply false or misleading sophistry designed to throw doubt and confusion on what the company is doing, to buy time for them to log as much endangered ancient forest as they can. However, it should be noted that if Island Timberlands now has a new policy to not log anymore of the mapped UWR's, we greatly welcome that and look forward to discussing how to move forward on this...stay tuned.
Kwakiutl First Nation Chief Coreen Child says the Tsilhqot'in court victory on Thursday, June 26, 2014, proves that Vancouver Island First Nations with Douglas Treaties already demonstrated Aboriginal Title over 160 years ago... Since 2004, the BC government has been granting the removal of private lands from Tree Farm licenses located within Kwakiutl territory without Kwakiutl consent. Consequently, businesses, companies, and governments have exploited Kwakiutl lands with impunity."BC forestry decision making is one example of Treaty infringement," says Councillor Jason Hunt. "In 163 years, the Crown, first as Colony, then as BC and Canada, built entire economies on North Vancouver Island without First Nations consent. They have exploited our lands and waters, and marginalized our people."
Conservationists expressed alarm over a logging company's logging of rare old-growth Douglas Fir trees near Port Alberni. Island Timberlands had reportedly logged a hundred-metre wide section of old-growth trees in the previously intact part of McLaughlin Ridge's forest. The Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance and Ancient Forest Alliance have urged the BC government -- which deregulated the land in 2004 -- to work toward conservation of McLaughlin Ridge and other endangered old-growth forests jeopardized by Island Timberlands.
“It was odd to be standing in this giant, record-size tree in the middle of a clear-cut and watching stuff fall not too far away,” he said. Mr. Watt said it was “kind of sad” too, because he suspected there were more trees like Big Lonely Doug that might be stumps by the time his crew finds them. “It shows the need to have legislation in place as quickly as possible to protect remaining old-growth forest so we don’t have to keep coming across these things too late,” said Mr. Watt. Three years ago, the provincial government promised it would bring in regulations to protect the best and biggest groves of B.C.’s dwindling stock of giant old-growth trees. Mr. Watt, Mr. Wu, and Big Lonely Doug are still waiting .
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