Chinese Government’s Ownership of British Columbia’s Forests Could Stifle New Environmental Laws, Undermine BC Forestry Jobs, and Infringe on First Nations’ Rights under Proposed Trade Agreement
Conservationists with the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) are raising the alarm that the potential ownership of vast tracts of British Columbia’s private forest lands by the Chinese government could negatively impact BC’s environmental laws, forestry jobs, and the rights of First Nations in light of the proposed Canada-China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA). Island Timberlands is BC’s second largest private landowner, with over 254,000 hectares of private forest lands on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. The company is expected to close a $100 million deal soon with the China Investment Corporation (CIC), one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds owned by the Chinese government. The deal will see the CIC own a 12.5% stake in Island Timberlands (see the article:
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1099267/tiny-cortes-island-girds-battle-chinas-huge-cic-wealth-fund).
“The Communist Party of China is about to become one of the biggest landowners in British Columbia if this deal goes through. In light of the proposed Canada-China investment treaty, this could be at the expense of BC’s environment, forestry workers and First Nations,” stated Ken Wu, executive director of the Ancient Forest Alliance. “Chairman Harper seems to be channelling Chairman Mao’s spirit these days, as it’s hard to see how this proposed agreement will be a net benefit to Canadians.”
The Canada-China FIPA would allow Chinese investors in Canada to sue the federal government for lost profits due to new regulations, taxes, and environmental laws enacted federally, provincially, or municipally. This would undercut the ability of future governments to enact new regulations or policies that might result in a lawsuit by Chinese companies which are accountable to the Chinese government. Any disputes under FIPA would go for arbitration in tribunals outside of Canadian courts and mostly outside of any court. These tribunals are not independent, open, and procedurally fair in the manner of other international courts and tribunals. The agreement’s stipulations would last for a minimum of 31 years even if the Canadian government in the future opts out of the agreement at the earliest opportunity, which is after a 15-year minimum term. The federal government has yet to ratify FIPA, possibly as a result of major public opposition including within Conservative party constituencies. See more info at:
https://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/15/china-canada-investment-treaty-designed-be-straight-jacket-canada-exclusive-interview-trade-investment-lawyer-gus-van
“Not only could the Chinese government’s ownership of our forests under FIPA obstruct future measures to protect our endangered ecosystems, BC wood processing jobs, and First Nations land use plans, but it could result in Canadian taxpayers owing tens of millions of dollars to the Chinese government for protecting the interests of our own citizens,” stated Wu.
Measures to protect the environment, labour, and First Nations rights that could be negatively affected by the Canada-China FIPA and the CIC buying a stake in Island Timberlands include:
– Obstructions against new regulations or taxes to curtail unprocessed “raw” logs from being exported from BC to sawmills in China and abroad. Island Timberlands is one of BC’s largest exporters of raw, unprocessed logs to foreign mills in China, the US, and other countries. Public pressure is strong to curtail raw log exports in order to ensure a guaranteed log supply for BC’s wood manufacturing sector. “This trade agreement with China could provide an unfettered conduit for the free flow of unprocessed raw logs from BC’s forests to Chinese sawmills,” stated Wu.
– Undermining stronger Forest Practices regulations on private forest lands. Conservationists are calling for stronger regulations on Private Managed Forest Lands to protect salmon streams with wider forested“buffers”, to protect drinking watersheds, old-growth forests, and endangered species against industrial logging, and to enact controls on the unsustainable rate of overcutting. In 2004 the BC Liberal government removed 88,000 hectares of private forest lands now owned by Island Timberlands from the Tree Farm Licenses that once regulated them with stronger forest practices regulations with the same standards on public lands.
– Frustrating the establishment of a “Forest Land Reserve”, similar to the existing “Agricultural Land Reserve”, that would prohibit real estate subdivisions and suburban sprawl on private forest lands zoned for forestry use.
– Obstructing the implementation of First Nations land-use plans and shared decision-making measures that may require legally-binding orders from the BC government to protect sacred sites, important cultural use sites, and natural resource areas. Most of Island Timberlands’ lands are also unceded by First Nations where no treaties were signed that relinquished First Nations title to them. Many BC First Nations are pushing for increased legal control over their unceded territories and to implement their own land use visions even before treaties are settled, which in most cases are still many years away.
Island Timberlands is entangled in battles with communities across Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast who are upset by the company’s plans to log old-growth forests and sensitive ecosystems (see a list of contentious areas and beautiful photos at:
https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=519).
On Cortes Island (see beautiful photos at:
https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/photos.php?gID=12), local residents repeatedly protested and blocked Island Timberlands’ attempts to log earlier this month. Last week the company temporarily pulled out its logging crews from Cortes Island and postponed its pursuit of a court injunction against the protesters, with Island residents currently waiting for the company to meet with them to resume negotiations.
The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on Island Timberlands back off from logging its contentious “forest hotspots” across the coast until conservation funding can be secured for their purchase, and to log on Cortes Island according to community, ecosystem-based forestry standards.
In addition to strengthening environmental regulations on private forest lands, the AFA is also calling on the provincial government to establish a $40 million annual BC park acquisition fund to purchase and protect endangered ecosystems on private lands. The last time the provincial government had a dedicated park acquisition fund was in the 2008 budget.
“While private land trusts are vital for conservation, they simply don’t have the capacity to quickly raise the tens of millions of dollars needed each year to protect most endangered private lands before they are logged or developed —only governments have such funds,” stated TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner and photographer. “More than ever, considering the potential future difficulties to strengthen environmental laws on private lands under FIPA, the BC government must fund the purchase of the last endangered old-growth forests on private lands before they are logged.”
A battle over private forest lands on Salt Spring Island over a decade ago between local residents and a logging/development company was resolved when the federal, provincial and regional governments provided over $16 million in funding, along with $1 million raised by local citizens, to purchase over 1000 hectares of private forest lands on Mount Maxwell and around Burgoyne Bay – an area similar in size to Island Timberlands’ holdings on Cortes Island. Currently, Cortes Island residents are working to raise funds to purchase and protect the 250 hectare “Children’s Forest” from Island Timberlands, constituting about 25% of the company’s private lands on Cortes.
The transfer of lands from private corporate ownership to public ownership would also open up greater possibilities for First Nations shared decision-making and cultural uses on those lands. Other provincial funds could also be put forward to purchase private forest lands for conversion to Community Forests for ecosystem-based forestry operations controlled by local communities.
Chinese seek stake in BC forestry company as FIPA decision looms
/in News CoveragePotential impacts of a $100 million dollar deal between China Investment Corporation (CIC) and Brookfield Asset Management Inc, the majority shareholder in Island Timberlands (IT), have made headlines internationally and alarmed activists in British Columbia. The story was first reported in early November by the Wall Street Journal.
South China Morning Post reported upon it more recently, quoting activist Zoe Miles.
Island Timberlands intends to clear cut a forest Cortes Island residents say they cherish, but so far the community has stopped IT from proceeding.
The industrial scale forestry IT proposes for Cortes Island “gives the corporation all of the profit at the expense of the community,” Miles said.
Because IT is exporting raw logs to the Chinese market, as opposed to finished products, Miles said residents will be left with a “devastated ecosystem” and no long-term benefits for locals.
“What we see is that they appear to be far more interested in making a deal with China than they do with the local community, and so, to all appearances, their priority is profit over local benefit,” Miles said.
Islanders want to work with the forestry company to “create a new model that everyone can benefit from and that creates local jobs as well as preserve the integrity of the ecosystem and that they can still make a profit from.”
Neither the CIC sale nor the Canada-China FIPA agreement have gone through yet, Kenneth Wu, executive director of the Ancient Forest Alliance said.
“And in fact, I think the ratification of FIPA has been stalled by a massive public outcry, including among the Conservative voting base,” he said.
“Many of the activists are pushing for stronger forest practice regulations… to ensure essentially that eco-forestry standards and community standards are implemented on those lands. They’re not anti-logging. They want to see sustainable logging. But the ability to get new laws to strengthen the forest practices standards could be jeopardized,” Wu said.
If FIPA is ratified by the federal government, he cautioned, the trade agreement will protect Chinese investors, and allow them to sue for the potential lost profits as a result of new environmental laws, such as a tax for exporting raw logs to Chinese or American mills.
He said such a move would make it difficult to create policies that would respond to the vision of “sustainable forestry” articulated for Cortes Island and other sites.
Relations with First Nations
Weakened regulatory abilities and local resource control aside, the AFA also cautions that the Canada-China FIPA and CIC’s Island Timberlands buy-in could hinder negotiations with First Nations over land-use planning. It could also destabalize joint decision-making, as well as the push to create a “Forest Land Reserve” designation that would protect specific forest areas from development.
For some Cortes Island residents, these possibilities are part of a longer struggle over forest resources. Rick Bockner, himself a professional woodworker, moved to Cortes Island 21 years ago with his two daughters. He was on the island in 1991 when islanders fought Macmillan-Bloedel over what he notes are many of the same trees.
“The difference is that in 1991 those logs probably would have been processed locally. And these days with the provincial government aiding and abetting the corporations in exporting raw logs to foreign markets, we’re finding that there’s no benefit locally from any of this activity, and it’s a sticking point for us,” he said.
Island Timberlands was contacted but did not provide a comment before deadline.
China Investment Corporation Eyes BC Forests, Spells FIPA Danger
/in News CoverageThe China Investment Corporation (ICI), one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, is set to become a powerful landowner in British Columbia if a $100 million deal with Island Timberlands, the second-largest owner of private forests in the province, goes through. The Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) is concerned that closure of the deal, especially in light of Canada’s pending ratification of the Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (FIPA), could have negative consequences for protection of BC’s treasured old-growth forests, forestry jobs, and the rights of First Nations, according to an AFA press release.
Media Release: Chinese Goverment’s Ownership of BC’s Forests Could Undermine New Environmental Laws, Forestry Jobs, and First Nations
/in Media ReleaseBig Trees of Vancouver featured in major Chinese-language newspaper.
/in News CoverageHere are a series of articles in the Sing Tao Daily News, a major Chinese-language newspaper in Vancouver, about the biggest trees of Vancouver that also features the Ancient Forest Alliance and our campaign to protect them!
愛樹團體籲省府保育
[2012-11-28]
本報記者王露報道
卑詩省古樹聯盟（Ancient Forest Alliance）20個支持者，上周六到省長簡蕙芝（Christy Clark）於溫西格雷岬（Point Grey）選區辦公室外示威，促請省府保護本省珍貴古樹。
聯 盟發起人吳俊諺說，他與支持者計劃去格雷岬約2,000個家庭，向他們解說保護古樹的重要，並邀請他們簽署請願信，呼籲省府成立一個卑詩古老森林保護計 劃，阻止砍伐溫哥華島及低陸平原等地區的珍貴古樹。他們還希望省府能確保本省伐木業者不要砍伐古樹，選擇5至50年樹齡的年輕樹木砍伐。
吳俊諺指出，卑詩低陸平原地區約有2萬公頃的古樹森林，需要保護。而距離下屆省選不到7個月時間，簡蕙芝仍有機會推動改變。他說，聖誕將至，簡蕙芝應該送給卑詩省一份可持續受惠的聖誕禮物。他們稍後會把收集到的請願信交到簡蕙芝選區辦公室。
溫市樹木也有新移民
[2012-11-28]
本報記者王露報道
人均擁樹2.6棵不負最綠城市美譽
除了人和建築物外，溫哥華市最常見到就是樹木。據統計，溫市共有160萬棵樹，當中有「原住民」──西部紅柏與道格拉斯冷杉，也有「新移民」──源自上世紀日本的櫻花樹。目前全市居民平均每人有2.6棵樹。溫市府計劃未來8年增種15萬棵樹，延續溫哥華最綠色城市的美譽。
由 香港移民溫市30多年的溫市府社區發展及社會政策部規劃師黃永安稱，上世紀80年中期至90年代初，大批香港人湧入，當時有建築商為吸引新移民買家，在翻 新舊屋或建新屋時，砍掉院子內原有樹木。由於入住這些屋苑多數是香港移民，本地居民誤以為華裔移民不懂珍惜樹木因而衍生反感，經華社領袖出面解釋，雙方誤 會才告化解(詳另文)。
160萬棵樹 擬8年增1成
根據市府資料，溫市現在約有160萬棵樹，包括約14萬棵街樹，並計劃在未來年再種植5萬棵，增幅約一成（見附表）。
百多年前溫市開埠初期，木材是本地的主要經濟命脈，不少街名也以樹命名。最普遍的是西部紅柏（Western Red Cedar）和道格拉斯冷杉樹（Douglas Fir），史丹利公園（Stanley Park）及市面仍可見到它們的蹤影。
溫哥華綠色文化俱樂部會長林聖哲說，溫市街樹很有特色，例如樹葉變化最多的楓樹，最常見的榆樹等；為保護街樹，市府還立例，砍樹須申請及種下新樹苗。
相對於「原住樹」，源自上世紀30年代日本的櫻花樹就是溫市的「新移民」，陪伴日裔移民融入本地生活，對他們有特別意義。
櫻花樹是「新移民」
據 溫市府樹木修剪師斯蒂芬（Bill Stephen）憶述，1967年，日本政府代表昭和天皇送給溫市幾百株櫻花樹，作為象徵加日友誼的禮物，它們被分種在溫市不同區域。1977年，本地日 裔為慶祝第一代日裔抵埠百年，在奧本海默公園（Oppenheimer Park）種下21棵櫻花樹。其後，更有日裔團體發起櫻花節，現已成為每年城中盛事。
但四年前，公園局計劃在奧本海默公園增建運動場館，打算移走部分櫻花樹，遭日裔社區反對。斯蒂芬指，起初公園局並不知這些櫻花樹對日裔有重要歷史意義，後經溝通，公園局放棄原計劃，櫻花樹保留。
古 樹保護聯盟（Ancient Forest Alliance）發起人之一吳俊諺說，小時候父母曾帶他去公園垂釣，令他愛上樹木及自然環境。長大後，他報讀卑詩大學（UBC）生態學系，想要更加瞭解 周圍的綠色環境。他記得讀書時，有一次學校要砍伐校園大片森林，為保護這片森林，他曾堅持在樹上靜坐一星期示威。
違例砍樹 可罰千元
[2012-11-28]
本報記者王露報道
根據溫市樹木保護附例，業主如要砍伐自己物業內的樹木，必須事先申請砍樹許可（tree permit）。
一般業主只可在12個月內，申請砍一棵樹，該樹樹圍必須在64釐米以上，樹輪直徑20釐米以上，離地至少1.4米高，才能被砍。
此外，業主在砍樹後必須種下一棵新樹苗。如有人違法砍樹，市府將對違法者罰款，每棵樹500至1,000元。
溫市府表示，市府平均每年發出1,500至1,600個砍樹許可。市府在近年曾有過兩個較嚴重的違法砍樹案例，其中一個業主無許可而砍下25棵樹，被罰3.1萬元。
另一宗發生在西南海旁大道（SW Marine Dr.），業主和承建商沒有許可砍下14棵樹，分別被罰3.2萬元和2.1萬元。
溫市中部Heather St. 首條以樹命名街道
[2012-11-28]
本報記者
溫市在1867年開埠，早期居民主要在煤氣鎮一帶，從事伐木和鋸木工作，時至今日，這個城市樹木密度，仍然遠高於人口密度。
事實上，從溫市許多街道都以樹種命名，就可知本地和樹木有不解之緣。
在1874年，溫市中部出現第一條以樹種命名的街道，即意為石南樹街的希瑟街 (Heather St.)，而命名者是卑詩省伐木先驅麥基(William Mackie)。
繼石南樹街由市中部延至南部之後，溫市西區陸續有更多街道以樹命名，例如意為野草莓樹街的阿布特斯街(Arbutus St.)、意指橡樹街的渥街(Oak St.)，以及白蠟樹街的阿什街(Ash St.)等。
NOW OPEN! AFA Office Cubicle in Downtown Victoria!
/in AnnouncementsIf you’re in Victoria, feel free to come visit the AFA in the Habitat Acquisition Trust / Nature Conservancy building between 12-6 pm, Mon-Sun., until Dec. 23 at 827 Broughton St. (between Blanshard and Quadra). Pick up great holiday gifts such as our new and beautiful 2013 calendars, ancient forest greeting cards, big tree posters, prints, and more!
For a sample of our products, or to order online, check out our new online store!
Price list:
Political leadership needed to resolve Cortes Island’s "War in the Woods"
/in News CoverageThe conflict over the past week between local Cortes Island residents and Island Timberlands over the company’s contentious plans to log endangered forests has conservationists renewing their call for political leadership in BC to resolve the “War in the Woods”.
“What is needed now is leadership from the BC Liberal government to help resolve the War in the Woods by committing funds to purchase endangered ecosystems on private lands, including old-growth forests on Cortes Island and throughout the southern coast where communities are fighting Island Timberlands’ old-growth logging plans,” stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director.“The province hasn’t had a dedicated annual fund to purchase and protect private lands in years, despite that fact that for every $1 invested in new parks in BC, another $9 is generated in revenues in the provincial economy, according to studies. Island Timberlands also has an obligation to log according to community, ecosystem-based forestry standards on Cortes Island.”
The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling for a $40 million annual BC park acquisition fund, which would amount to about 0.1 per cent or 1/1000th of the province’s $40 billion annual budget.Over 10 years, $400 million would be available for purchasing critical habitats on private lands throughout the province. The last time the provincial government had a dedicated land acquisition fund was in the 2008 budget. A similar battle on Salt Spring Island over a decade ago between local residents and a logging/development company was resolved through funding from the provincial, federal and regional governments and local citizens to purchase the endangered lands around Burgoyne Bay and on Mount Maxwell.
Old-growth forests are vital for supporting endangered species, tourism, recreation, the climate, clean water, wild salmon, and many First Nations cultures. On Vancouver Island, 75 per cent of the original, productive old-growth forests have already been logged, including 90 per cent of the most productive old-growth forests in the lowlands where the largest trees grow. Well over 90 per cent of the old-growth “Dry Maritime” and Coastal Douglas-fir forests on BC’s southern coast have already been logged.
Loggers leave Cortes … but promise to return
/in News CoverageAn unofficial time out is being observed in the standoff between Cortes Island environmental activists and Island Timberlands over the company’s plans to log its private land which contains old growth stands.
Last week, Cortes environmentalists, residents and supporters repeatedly blocked Island Timberlands’ crews from beginning logging operations near Basil Creek. Zoe Miles, a member of Wildstands, says the community has attempted to work with the company for more than four years to develop an ecosystem-based approach to forestry. “The community is now left with no choice but to stand in Timberlands’ path to defend these ecologically significant forests.”
The group lifted its blockade after frustrated logging crews left the island, but the company’s Director of Human Resources Mark Leitao says they are simply assessing their options. One of those options is a court injunction. Behind the scenes efforts were being made to bring the two sides together for talks.
West Vancouver environmental lawyer Joe Spears, who has been hired by the environmentalists, tells the Mirror: “Situation normal, trees standing.”
“This goes way beyond private property rights,” the lawyer says. “There is so little coastal old growth left.” Spears says there needs to be an informed discussion about the best use of the resource – “a source of raw logs for China or deferred forestation that gives rise to carbon credits?”
Ken Wu, Executive Director of Ancient Forest Alliance, says: “What is needed now is leadership from the Liberal government to help resolve the war in the woods by committing funds to purchase endangered ecosystems on private lands, including old-growth forests on Cortes Island.
The alliance is calling for a $40 million annual park acquisition fund. The last time the provincial government had a dedicated land acquisition fund was in the 2008 budget, Wu says. A similar battle on Salt Spring Island over a decade ago between local residents and a logging company was resolved through funding from the provincial, federal and regional governments and local citizens to purchase the endangered lands around Burgoyne Bay and on Mount Maxwell.
Meanwhile, the Private Forest Landowners Association has taken Cortes activist Leah Seltzer to task for her claim that “privately managed forest companies (do not have) any legally binding regulations on their lands.”
There are more than 30 acts and regulations that apply to managed forest land, the association says, “and successive independent audits show the protection … on private managed forest land meets or exceeds the standard of protection on public lands.”
Seltzer counters: “The industry uses a model of ‘professional reliance’ which means that there is no real government oversight. So, technically on the books, there is ‘legally binding legislation,’ but ultimately the forest professionals determine what compliance looks like and for us this feels a lot like the fox is watching the hen house.
[Campbell River Mirror online article no longer available]
NEW! Ancient Forests of BC Calendars for Sale!
/in AnnouncementsWe’re proud to present the Ancient Forest Alliance’s premier calendar! It highlights some of the special places on British Columbia’s coast that we’ve explored as we work towards securing provincial legislation to save our endangered old-growth forests and forestry jobs.
The calendar features beautiful photos of many incredible places including Echo Lake, the Cameron Valley Firebreak, San Juan Valley, Cortes Island, Avatar Grove, Mossy Maple Grove, Cathedral Grove Canyon, Upper Walbran Valley, Flores Island, the Gordon River Valley, and more! It’s also printed on 100% post-consumer recyled paper with vegetable based inks.
You can order one today for $20 through our new online store, by phoning 250-896-4007, or, if you’re in Victoria, you can come by our temporary office cubicle in the Habitat Acquisition Trust office and Nature Conservancy of Canada building between 12-6 pm, Mon.-Sat., until December 23 at 827 Broughton St. (between Blanshard and Quadra St.)
Cortes Island residents seek compromise with loggers
/in News CoverageCortes Island residents who blockaded roads for a week in a fight to modify logging plans say they are hopeful talks with Island Timberlands can lead to a compromise.
But Mark Leitao, a spokesman for the company, said Thursday no commitment has been made to meet with the islanders, who are organized under the banner, Wildstands Alliance. The group lifted its blockade Wednesday, after logging crews withdrew from the island. But Mr. Leitao said the crews will be back.
“We’re resolute that we’re going to harvest and continue to manage our properties on Cortes over the long term,” he said. “At this point we’re sitting back and assessing our options.”
Mr. Leitao said the company has considered an injunction against the blockaders, if necessary, but isn’t in a rush.
“We’ll be on Cortes for the long term, and so a week here and there is not going to really affect the overall long-term scheme of things,” he said. “First and foremost we want to make sure that when we go to harvest, that we can do that safely.”
Island residents blocked roads to protest company plans to log privately owned forest lands on Cortes Island, which is in the Strait of Georgia, east of Campbell River. About 1,000 people live on the bucolic island, which is home to Hollyhock Farm Ltd., a well-known retreat that features workshops on writing, dance and yoga among other things.
Leah Seltzer, of the Wildstands Alliance, said the group took down the blockade with the expectation that a meeting with the company would follow.
“We hope that will happen in the near future,” she said, adding that island residents are not asking for an end to logging, just that plans be changed to ensure sensitive areas are protected. “We are definitely a community that is made up of people that includes loggers. We are interested in some logging … but it has to be selective logging.… We want their forests to be managed in a way that maintains ecological integrity.”
Ms. Seltzer said she is concerned the lack of dialogue between residents and Island Timberlands will worsen if a reported deal goes through in which China Investment Corp. is proposing to purchase timber assets from Brookfield Asset Management Inc. The Toronto-based company owns Island Timberlands, which is headquartered in Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island.
“It is hard enough to communicate with them now. Imagine if their offices were in China,” she said.
Ron Croda, a long-time resident, said a bitter battle was fought over the forest lands on Cortes Island in 1991, when MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. sought to log the area. “We put it off for 20 years,” he said. “That was a measure of some success.”
Mr. Croda said the battle divided the community then, and may do so again, because the issues are the same: The company has the legal right to log its forest lands, but many in the community want to protect the natural beauty of the island. “This is an example of corporate exploitation where the law is entirely on their side – but it’s leading to an environmental tragedy,” he said.
Ken Wu, a director of the Ancient Forest Alliance, called on the provincial government to end the dispute before it grows into a bigger confrontation. “Without the government taking action this will escalate into a war in the woods,” he said. “The BC Liberal government needs to show some leadership. They should not keep their heads down on the Cortes Island issue.”
Mr. Wu urged the government to set aside $40-million a year for park land acquisition.
Read more: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/cortes-island-residents-seek-compromise-with-loggers/article6071710/
Tiny Cortes Island girds for battle with China’s huge CIC wealth fund
/in News CoverageResidents of an idyllic island off the west coast of Canada are facing off against corporate opponents set to include a Chinese sovereign wealth behemoth, the US$480 billion China Investment Corporation (CIC).
Environmental activists and Cortes Island residents last week blockaded land owned by the Island Timberlands (IT) company, in a bid to prevent logging. They object to the environmental impact of felling on the island and fear that jobs and economic benefits will be sent to China.
Cortes Island activist Zoe Miles said that a reported deal for CIC to buy a 12.5 per cent stake in IT was a “huge part of the issue”. She also said that because IT was exporting raw logs to China, not finished products, the bulk of the economic benefits were being exported, too.
With a population of about 1,000, the British Columbia (BC) island is known for its natural beauty and thriving arts community.
“We aren’t anti-logging. We’re opposed to Island Timberlands’ model of industrial-scale logging,” said Miles, who was raised on the island, 160 kilometres north of Vancouver.
“The jobs after the cutting of the trees aren’t staying in BC,” she said. “Our concerns are both ecological and economic. We want to preserve the ecosystem and jobs for locals.”
She said the activists wanted IT to produce a logging plan “that meets the community’s desires”. That included preserving old-growth forest, setting logging back from waterways and not clear-cutting.
Some activists, including Ken Wu from the Ancient Forest Alliance, want the provincial government to protect parts of Cortes by purchasing it.
“You ultimately have to buy the private land that you want protected,” said Wu, whose group wants to re-establish a BC parks acquisition fund. “The government isn’t going to expropriate it.”
The Wall Street Journal reported last month that CIC was negotiating with Brookfield Asset Management to buy one-eighth of IT. Brookfield, with US$150 billion in assets under management, is a general partner and “significant majority shareholder” in IT said Brookfield senior vice-president for communications, Andrew Willis.
Willis said he could not comment on the reported US$100 million CIC deal. He said other investors in IT currently include Canadian provincial retirement funds. CIC did not respond to a request for comment.
The blockade last week resulted in IT withdrawing work crews sent to carve out logging roads. IT, the second-largest private landholder in BC, owns about 1,000 hectares on Cortes.
Mark Leitao, director of human resources at IT, said the firm was considering its next move, but still intended to log its land. “At the moment we are taking a rest and exploring our options … but our plan is to harvest those two blocks, safely,” he said.
IT workers were blocked last week by protesters lying in front of vehicles. Some protesters brought placard-waving children to the site.
Leitao said that the land in question was not virgin forest, having been through “at least one rotation” of logging, perhaps as long as 100 years ago. He said the firm was committed to saving “veteran” trees older than 250 years old.
He said that the land would not face clear-cut logging, in which most or all trees are razed.
“We are managing this tree by tree,” Leitao said. “We believe we have done right.”
Although the goal was to replant, he said that some of the felled land could be sold for property development.
Miles, the activist, said that singling out old trees to be saved was not good enough. “We’d draw a distinction between saving individual old growth trees and saving the old growth forest as a whole,” she said.
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