The Wilderness Committee Mid Island chapter has invited Ministers Barry Penner, Pat Bell, George Abbott, several local elected representatives and community groups to get a first hand look at a Nanoose Bay forest, referred to as DL 33 which the public and local governments want to see protected. The Nanoose First Nations who have applied for a logging permit for this rare and sensitive ecosystem have also been invited.The group plans to meet for the tour at 11:00 am today, Friday, July 2 in Nanoose Bay, (north of Nanaimo ) at the Petrocan station (2345 Island Hwy E ) on the corner of the Inland Island Highway and Northwest Bay Road.

“It is important to the community that an informed decision be made regarding the future and importance of this forest ecosystem – and there is nothing better than seeing it for yourself,” explains Annette Tanner, Wilderness Committee chairperson and organizer of the event.

“I have received many phone calls from concerned citizens who have communicated to the Provincial Government agencies and elected representatives that DL 33 be included in the recent Provincial Government Land Use Initiative to create a conservation strategy for the Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone,” Tanner continues. “They note that there is little Crown Land within the E&N land area, especially along the coastline, where this rare and biologically diverse Crown Land forest is located.”

“With the existence of very few public-owned Crown Land older forested wetland habitats along East Vancouver Island, wildlife corridors must be created to provide links within the threatened Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone”, she adds. “Habitat protection along these streams, rivers and wetlands provide clean, safe drinking water for the public and a healthy resource of salmon. The many forested wetlands in DL 33 also serve as flood control for the community.”

For more information please contact:

Annette Tanner, 250 752-6585 or cell 250 240-7470