Blackwater Valley scheduled for immediate logging

Wilderness Committee calls on the BC government to listen to its own Spotted Owl Recovery Team and intervene by halting all logging in active spotted owl sites

Vancouver, BC - The Blackwater Valley northeast of Pemberton, BC, and adjacent to Birkinhead Provincial Park, is a critically important area for wildlife and also for the N’Quat’qua Band of the St’at’imc Nation, who have used the valley for ceremonial and cultural purposes for thousands of years.

The Blackwater Valley is a longstanding nursery ground and transportation corridor for baby spotted owls, and is defined as an active spotted owl site by the BC government (occupied by owl(s) within the past 2 years). All active spotted owl sites in BC were recommended for protection, as survival and/or critical habitat, by BC’s Spotted Owl Recovery Team (SORT) as recently as March, 2007. However, several of these current owl sites and associated owl management areas, including Blackwater, are slated for logging.

N’Quat’qua Band elders, and others use the planned logging area at Blackwater Valley for collecting pine mushrooms and medicinal plants. A recent government report titled “Harvest plan for Blackwater pine mushroom management area” stated that “logging is 100% guaranteed to terminate pine mushroom production on the harvested area for approximately the next century.”

Despite these concerns, the BC governments own logging company, BC Timber Sales, designed the logging plans and then approved the area to be logged by Lizzie Bay Logging of Pemberton, BC.

A wildlife survey of the planned logging area by the Wilderness Committee’s staff scientist, Andy Miller, resulted in the discovery of an active goshawk nest. The goshawk is listed by the BC government as an “Identified Species” whose ecological needs are not met through traditional forest management. Goshawk nests, if known prior to logging, are generally protected by the BC government. Twenty five other nests of the goshawk’s more common smaller cousin, the sharp-shinned hawk, were located within the planned logging area. The federal government requires that all hawk nests be protected during the nesting season. “It seems that a wildlife survey of the area to be logged was not conducted.” said Miller.

“Perhaps most troubling is that the BC government has known that this area has been consistently used by spotted owls for 15 years and they still approved the logging. Logging as planned in the Blackwater Valley will result in the extermination of the hawks using these forests, will preclude use of the entire area by the resident spotted owl, and will prevent baby spotted owls from using the valley as a movement corridor and nursery ground” said Miller.

“BC’s Environment Minister, Barry Penner, must order a stop to any logging in active spotted owl sites, starting with Blackwater Creek, now” said Miller.

For further information contact Andy Miller @ 604-683-8220 or 604-992-3099