Island Timberlands is moving full throttle to log some of their most contentious old-growth forest lands near Port Alberni, including “Juniper Ridge”, an ungulate winter range formerly intended for protection, and Labour Day Lake, the headwaters of Cathedral Grove’s Cameron River.
Today NDP MLA Scott Fraser (riding of Alberni-Pacific Rim) received a “Forest Sustainability Award” from conservationists and forestry workers for his years of exceptional public service as an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in British Columbia to protect endangered old-growth forests, to counter the deregulation of forest lands on Vancouver Island, and to restrict the export of BC raw logs to foreign mills.
Hear about the Ancient Forest Alliance's campaign to ensure that the fate of BC's ancient forests and forestry jobs are central election issues in the next several months leading up to the May 14, 2013 provincial election. Learn about the ecology and politics of BC's old-growth forests, see TJ Watt's spectacular photos of the Upper Walbran Valley, Fangorn Forest, Echo Lake Ancient Forest, Christy Clark Grove, Cortes Island, Stillwater Bluffs, Day Road Forest, McLaughlin Ridge, and other endangered ancient forests.
“We considered our plans over the weekend and now we are putting a temporary suspension on the harvest of the buffer along the highway,” Island Timberlands spokeswoman Morgan Kennah said in an interview Monday.
Cortes is very lucky to have forests like this because they are rare and quickly disappearing. Red legged frogs are rare too. They are provincially listed and declining in numbers. On Cortes Island, those rare forests are about to be logged, and the little frogs may be facing their last winter.
Conservationists renew call for BC Liberals to commit to restoring and expanding a “BC Park Acquisition Fund” to purchase and protect endangered forests on private lands.
The 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”. Last week, local residents on Cortes Island repeatedly blocked Island Timberlands’ attempts to begin logging.
More than 80 people gathered at Echo Centre Monday for a meeting hosted by the Watershed-Forest Alliance in its quest to protect an old-growth forest at McLaughlin Ridge and in the China Creek Watershed. Alberni-Pacific Rim MLA Scott Fraser and retired government scientist Doug Janz were guest speakers at the event. The pair were resolute: that the forest range needs to be protected with enhanced regulations.
Date: Monday, Nov. 26th, 2012 Time: 7:00-9:00 pm Location: Ambrosia Centre, 638 Fisgard St., VICTORIA. *By donation (suggested $5 to $20) "The Natural History of BC's Bald Eagles and the World's Largest Eagle Congregating Area: the Harrison-Chehalis Rivers" - with David Hancock "Echo Lake, BC's Endangered Ancient Forests, and the Pre-Election Campaign to Protect Them! An Ancient Forest Alliance Campaign Overview" - with the AFA
Logging on hillsides such as McLaughlin Ridge inevitably affects the water supply of surrounding communities and the province should do more to help protect watersheds, says the chairman of the AlberniClayoquot Regional District.
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