Congratulations to the Cortes Island forest activists who finally got the Whaletown Commons protected, with major help from the Strathcona Regional District. The Whaletown Commons was a forest long under contention, owned by Island Timberlands, that is highly valued by the community and includes veteran old-growth Douglas-firs and cedars scattered throughout, riparian ecosystems, and areas used for children's environmental education.
The Ancient Forest Alliance and teams of dedicated volunteers have made some signigicant progress on the construction of the boardwalk at Avatar Grove this summer.
Great news! The Port Alberni municipal council has unanimously passed a resolution supporting the statement for Island Timberlands to cease and desist from logging McLaughlin Ridge, an ancient forest near Port Alberni in the city's drinking watershed, and for the BC government to ensure its protection. Thanks to our allies at the Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance for getting the resolution passed!
Here's an article in the Alberni Valley Times about the Port Aberni city council unanimously passing a resolution for Island Timberlands to stop logging McLaughlin Ridge and the BC government to protect it. Again thanks to our friends at the Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance for their great work!
The Port Alberni Council of Canadians, Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC) union and various environmental organizations have signed a joint statement calling on Island Timberlands to halt logging the endangered old-growth forests of McLaughlin Ridge near Port Alberni, BC. They asked the BC Liberal government show leadership and ensure the forest’s protection.
“The company and the BC government really need to heed the call of so many diverse organizations, otherwise the controversy will only continue to grow,” said Jane Morden from the Port Alberni Watershed-Forest Alliance, which is spearheading the campaign to protect old-growth forests around the region, including McLaughlin Ridge.
In the following article, Island Timberlands seems to be engaged in some sort of misleading PR spin, claiming that they are not logging the ungulate winter range in the core of McLaughlin Ridge, which they most clearly are (see our photos). The core area was mapped to become a Wildlife Habitat Area, which would protect the habitat of the endangered Queen Charlotte Goshawk and at the same time serve to protect the ancient Douglas-fir forest where the ungulates (deer) spend the winter – this is where Island Timberlands has been logging. In addition, Island Timberlands has also logged in areas mapped as UWR in recent years. Stating anything else is either simply false or misleading sophistry designed to throw doubt and confusion on what the company is doing, to buy time for them to log as much endangered ancient forest as they can. However, it should be noted that if Island Timberlands now has a new policy to not log anymore of the mapped UWR's, we greatly welcome that and look forward to discussing how to move forward on this…stay tuned.
We, the undersigned organizations, are greatly concerned about the rapid logging by Island Timberlands of McLaughlin Ridge near Port Alberni. We urge both the BC government and Island Timberlands to ensure that this critical area and the remaining old growth forests on Vancouver Island in similar situations are not logged.
Diverse organizations, including a major forestry workers union, BC’s largest environmental organizations, and community organizations, have signed a statement calling on Island Timberlands to immediately cease and desist from logging the endangered old-growth forests of McLaughlin Ridge, one Canada’s most ecologically significant old-growth forests near Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, and for the BC Liberal government show leadership and ensure the forest’s protection – before it’s too late.
Kwakiutl First Nation Chief Coreen Child says the Tsilhqot'in court victory on Thursday, June 26, 2014, proves that Vancouver Island First Nations with Douglas Treaties already demonstrated Aboriginal Title over 160 years ago…
Since 2004, the BC government has been granting the removal of private lands from Tree Farm licenses located within Kwakiutl territory without Kwakiutl consent. Consequently, businesses, companies, and governments have exploited Kwakiutl lands with impunity."BC forestry decision making is one example of Treaty infringement," says Councillor Jason Hunt. "In 163 years, the Crown, first as Colony, then as BC and Canada, built entire economies on North Vancouver Island without First Nations consent. They have exploited our lands and waters, and marginalized our people."
The Ancient Forest Alliance is looking for dedicated, considerate, and capable volunteers to help construct the Avatar Grove boardwalk this summer on the weekends of July 26/27 & August 23/24 in Port Renfrew, BC.
Donate
Send a Message
