An environmental organization is accusing the B.C. government of delays when it comes to protecting old-growth following the release of a forestry progess report.
But government says that reports details 含羞草研究社渦nprecedented action含羞草研究社� to conserve B.C.含羞草研究社檚 oldest forests.
The report tracks government含羞草研究社檚 implementation of the 14 recommendations from the Old-Growth Strategic Review. They include the temporary deferral of millions of hectares of old-growth forest from logging until the creation of a long-term management plan.
While government released the review含羞草研究社檚 final report in September 2020, parts of the opposition and environmental groups have since accused government of dragging its feet, a charged renewed by the Wilderness Committee.
含羞草研究社淭his is classic 1990s-style 含羞草研究社榯alk-and-log,含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 Tobyn Neame, forest campaigner, said. 含羞草研究社淭he endless delays from the B.C. NDP are resulting in the destruction of irreplaceable forests they vowed to protect.含羞草研究社�
The group paired this assessment with calls for 含羞草研究社渆mergency measures to prevent more old-growth forests and other biodiverse ecosystems from being lost because of these delays.含羞草研究社� Such measures could include the deferral of all at-risk old-growth forests and other interim measures to prevent additional loss of biodiversity while government develops long-term use plans.
Forests Minister Bruce Ralston, however, defends the report and the pace of the work.
含羞草研究社淥ur update details the work underway on all the recommendations from the old-growth strategic review,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淭his includes unprecedented action to conserve our oldest forests through the ($1-billion agreement with Ottawa and First Nations), expand actions to prevent wildfires and improve mapping, data and forest research.含羞草研究社�
Ralston含羞草研究社檚 ministry also points out that ending all old-growth logging was not among the recommendation of the review, adding that the review specifically stated some harvesting in some areas was possible and necessary.
One of the central points of contention between environmentalists and government concerns the location of deferrals.
While the Wilderness Committee acknowledged the deferral of more than two million hectares 含羞草研究社� government speaks of 2.44 million hectares 含羞草研究社� the group says it is not clear where those deferrals apply.
含羞草研究社淭he government has been entirely opaque about where the majority of deferrals have been implemented,含羞草研究社� Neame said.
Ralston含羞草研究社檚 ministry said the province agreed to keep temporary deferral areas confidential to support talks with First Nations, pointing to many areas where multiple First Nations have overlapping claims. As long-term measures are confirmed, geographic areas are confirmed, the ministry said.
According to the ministry, deferral discussions continue with 70 per cent of First Nations as of March 2024. Sixteen per cent of those talks are done and nine per cent of First Nations do not have old-growth forest in their territory.
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Another contested points concerns what should be protected.
Neame said 1.4 million hectares of at-risk priority-for-deferral old-growth remains open to logging. This figure refers to the amount of old-growth the review含羞草研究社檚 technical advisory panel identified for deferral, not yet deferred.
Another 1.23 million hectares identified by the panel were deferred while First Nations had identified another 1.21 million hectares not part of the areas identified by the panel.
The forests ministry said 含羞草研究社渃onversations with First Nations regarding their approach to deferrals are continuing at a local level含羞草研究社� but it is not clear when those conversations will wrap up.
The ministry said it is working directly with First Nations, who hold 含羞草研究社渁 diversity of perspectives and know their territory.含羞草研究社� While many support deferrals identified by panel, others don含羞草研究社檛 support proposed deferrals and prefer to continue what the ministry calls 含羞草研究社渇orest activity.含羞草研究社� Some have also said that old-growth outside of panel-identified areas should be deferred instead.
According to government, about 20,600 hectares (0.8 percent) of the 2.6 million hectares identified by the panel as priority at-risk forest has been harvested based on satellite imagery acquired as recently as June 30, 2023.
B.C. is home to 11.1 million hectares of old-growth forest on publicly managed lands, according to government. This figure amounts to about 20 per cent of B.C.含羞草研究社檚 forests, but critics say government has inflated the numbers, with assessments pegging the percentage share of genuine old forest in the single digits.
Some 7.6 million hectares are considered 含羞草研究社渁t-risk old growth含羞草研究社� with five million unprotected with 4 million hectares considered 含羞草研究社減riority at-risk old growth,含羞草研究社� according to government.
The panel ultimately recommended 2.6 million hectares of those 4 million to be deferred. Overall, government says 80 per cent of all the old growth forest on publicly managed lands in the province is currently not threatened by logging because it is already protected, deferred from harvest or not economic to harvest.
Such figures are unlikely to ease the fears of environmentalists, who see the current process of temporary deferrals and discussions with First Nations as a stall tactic, accusing government of succumbing to corporate pressure.
含羞草研究社淯ltimately, the B.C. government is attempting to thread the needle and appear as if they are taking action by discussing intentions on old growth logging while neglecting to follow through with real action,含羞草研究社� Neame said.
