Peachland residents gathered on Friday afternoon (March 19) along Highway 97 to bring awareness to the negative impact of clearcut logging.

Forest March BC is now in its third year of organizing marches to call on the provincial government to reform B.C.含羞草研究社檚 forestry legislation. The organization has also said that its goal is to 含羞草研究社渦nite communities across B.C. to push for equitable, nature-based, and community first approaches to forestry management含羞草研究社�.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, many of this year含羞草研究社檚 marches and activities moved virtually and were replaced with art installations and other informational activities instead.

But in Peachland, several residents still came out as a show of solidarity with other communities and to show people that the effect of clearcut logging in this particular community affects flooding as well as the water source.

含羞草研究社淧eachland含羞草研究社檚 freshwater supply is under threat by numerous industrial activities including clear-cut logging in the watershed,含羞草研究社� Peachland Watershed Protection Alliance (PWPA) communications chair Alex Morrison said.

含羞草研究社淲ith spring floods on Okanagan Lake becoming a regular event as a result of these logging practices, PWPA is demonstrating to our provincial government that they are failing Peachland and other similar communities across B.C.含羞草研究社�

PWPA director Taryn Skalbania said 27 communities throughout the province gathered, in one way or another, to raise awareness about the issue.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e telling our government we don含羞草研究社檛 like the way that our forests are being managed,含羞草研究社� she said.

As logging continues, Skalbania said that water quality, flood control, and wildlife biodiversity are all suffering as a result.

含羞草研究社淎nd it含羞草研究社檚 different in each community. Peachland含羞草研究社檚 all about water quality. We had to put a $24 million water treatment plant in partially due to clearcut logging and it含羞草研究社檚 also about flooding.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淔loods don含羞草研究社檛 happen on Okanagan Lake, they happen in the watershed. They happen because of excess runoff due to too much logging and deforestation in the high altitudes,含羞草研究社� she said.

Skalbania added that while trees are a renewable source, they take time to grow back and the industry doesn含羞草研究社檛 give them enough time to do just that.

含羞草研究社淲ho含羞草研究社檚 going to wait a thousand years for that seedling to grow again?含羞草研究社�

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