What the climate will look like in the future concerns David Chaplin, and he says the feeling is shared by many.

It含羞草研究社檚 why he was out to show his support at a Victoria demonstration against the continued logging of old-growth forests in B.C. 含羞草研究社� joining 17 similar actions outside MLA offices province-wide on Thursday (Sept. 28).

含羞草研究社淭hree years have passed since the B.C. government promised to implement a paradigm-shift in forest stewardship laid out in its own Old Growth Strategic Review (OGSR). Yet the government has made little progress on their promises,含羞草研究社� event organizers said.

Intact old-growth forests are one of B.C.含羞草研究社檚 best allies amid the climate crisis, the demonstrators said, noting they help mitigate environmental disasters and support ecosystems.

Chaplin touted how the forests absorb carbon pollution and help to cool communities.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 easier to go out to the forest, enjoy the natural beauties and cool down rather than sitting in a living room with an air conditioner on, and that含羞草研究社檚 not going to happen anymore,含羞草研究社� Chaplin said. 含羞草研究社淭here are just so many places you can含羞草研究社檛 go to anymore because they含羞草研究社檙e just not there, they含羞草研究社檝e been devastated by industrial logging, mining and other resource extractions.含羞草研究社�

Protesters chanted outside MLA Sheila Malcolmson含羞草研究社檚 Nanaimo office as well, hoping to create dialogue and raise awareness for the 含羞草研究社渟occer field含羞草研究社�-sized sections of old-growth being logged.

含羞草研究社淭here are just a few areas, Clayoquot Sound, Fairy Creek, the Great Bear Rainforest, that we can really call intact ecosystems,含羞草研究社� said David Quigg, an organizer with environment advocacy group Sierra Club B.C. 含羞草研究社淣ot only do we have to stop the further logging of old growth, we need to give the second growth a chance to rehabilitate and become a thriving ecosystem to manage these forests.含羞草研究社�

It was a similar message outside Michelle Babchuk含羞草研究社檚 office in Campbell River.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e experiencing a climate emergency含羞草研究社� and it含羞草研究社檚 time that we really do an honest re-think about how we manage forests in British Columbia, 含羞草研究社渟aid Anna Hooper.含羞草研究社� I want the NDP to stand up and make good on their word that they would defer old growth logging. They含羞草研究社檙e not following their own recommendations.含羞草研究社�

Embedded in Victoria含羞草研究社檚 gathering was Georgina Kirkman, who said she含羞草研究社檚 not against logging but wants to see a more sustainable forestry approach as she含羞草研究社檚 concerned about clear-cuts amplifying floods and fires.

含羞草研究社淭here are lots of scientific reasons to not clear-cut,含羞草研究社� Kirkman said. 含羞草研究社淚 Don含羞草研究社檛 hate loggers, I don含羞草研究社檛 hate logging, but we含羞草研究社檝e got to do it right, we含羞草研究社檝e got to think of the future.含羞草研究社�

Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said the province created a silviculture program that含羞草研究社檚 implementing more alternatives to clear-cutting as B.C. shares the desire to protect old-growth forests.

The province has taken steps to shift from industry developed stewardship plans as Ralston said they含羞草研究社檙e prioritizing ecosystem health and community resiliency by supporting co-governance of the land with First Nations.

含羞草研究社淚n the past year, we have reached 2.25 million hectares of old growth deferred or protected since November 2021, with work on further deferrals underway with rights and title holders,含羞草研究社� he said in a statement. 含羞草研究社淏y taking action now and building generational change, we can protect the most at-risk old-growth forests around the province while we move to new ways to manage B.C. forests.含羞草研究社�

Elizabeth Borek waved to honking drivers and bus riders who pulled out their phones to video as traffic funnelled into the single-lane adjacent to the demonstration.

含羞草研究社淲e thought the fires and floods were bad this year, well wait until next year when all the old-growth forests that含羞草研究社檚 been either burned or chopped down starts emitting greenhouse gases. It含羞草研究社檚 going to be much worse for B.C. and the entire world,含羞草研究社� Borek said.

含羞草研究社淚 just don含羞草研究社檛 understand why they can含羞草研究社檛 take action.含羞草研究社�

She wants the government to implement the calls made in the Old Growth Strategic Review. The 2020 review含羞草研究社檚 final report includes a roadmap giving the government until the end of 2023 to complete and approve a plan to guide the implementation of all 14 recommendations.

Ralston said the government is committed to all the recommendations.

含羞草研究社� with files from Bailey Seymour and Marc Kitteringham

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