Forest Minister can't see the forest for the trees: Wilderness Committee
The Wilderness Committee responded today to Friday’s announcement by BC Forest Minister Pat Bell that the province is considering new legislative tools to protect very large, old trees.
“While this is a small step in the right direction, leaving a lone ancient tree or a even a small stand of giant trees in a sea of stumps is not acceptable any more given the rarity of old-growth forests in many parts of the province,” said Joe Foy, Wilderness Committee National Campaign Director. “The Minister literally can not see the forest for the big trees. He needs to ban the logging of old-growth forests, not just single trees, starting first with the most over-logged regions such as Vancouver Island, the southern mainland and the Inland Rainforest,” said Foy.
The Wilderness Committee points to BC's growing list of endangered species as proof that the logging of old-growth forests has gone much too far. “Spotted owls have just about been killed off throughout their range in BC due to continuing old-growth logging. Marbled murrelets and mountain caribou are on their way down and out in several regions of the province because of old-growth logging. These are reasons why old-growth logging must be banned now, starting with the regions of highest old-growth forest loss and species endangerment first,” said Foy.
“If the Minister wants to consider new legislative tools he should look at jurisdictions that have already banned old-growth logging, such as New Zealand or the Philippines. We still allow the logging to continue in our most old-growth depleted landscapes. It's shameful,” said Foy.
Foy pointed to a Philippine law enacted in the 1990s, known as Republic Act 7611, which bans old-growth logging on the island province of Palawan. “If we are going to avoid an ecological catastrophe, we need to see our provincial government step up and enact a law like this and apply it to our over-logged regions immediately,” said Foy.
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For more information contact Joe Foy (604) 880-2580
