The Wilderness Committee will be hosting a campout near Chilliwack Lake on the Canada Day long weekend in a bid to save an area of forest set aside for the survival of one of Canada’s most endangered species, the Northern spotted owl.
“Chilliwack Valley residents brought it to our attention that the BC government is ready to allow over a dozen cutblocks within the Wildlife Habitat Area that has been set aside in the Chilliwack Valley as protected Northern spotted owl habitat,” explained Joe Foy, National Campaign Director for the Wilderness Committee.

“We were shocked, because the province originally protected this forest a few years back because of pressure from the federal government over declining numbers of Northern spotted owls in BC,” said Foy.

“It’s logging that has reduced the owl’s numbers to less than a dozen birds in Canada, placing the Northern spotted owl on the endangered species list,” said Foy. “To then allow logging in a Wildlife Habitat Area that the public thinks has been protected and set aside for spotted owls is just plain dishonest. We aim to do everything we can do to see the logging of spotted owl habitat stopped so that this remarkable creature and all the other species that need forest habitat are given a fighting chance to survive,” said Foy.

The Canada Day Campout will feature guided hikes through the forest and surrounding trails, as well as a discussion on the importance of protecting forests for the survival of local fish and wildlife. “I think when people see how beautiful this forest is they are going to be in heaven camping here and are going to want to help save it,” said Foy.

“We will be calling on Premier Christy Clark and Prime Minister Stephen Harper to work together to ensure that logging is immediately banned in all Northern spotted owl forest habitat,” said Foy. “Our governments need to act fast, because this species is facing extirpation in Canada. There’s only a few left in the wild because of extensive and continuing logging of their forest habitat. If their numbers are ever to bounce back, we need to ensure that there is still enough forest habitat left to give them a place to live,” said Foy.

BC now has over 1,900 plants and animals on the Species at Risk list.

Contact:

Joe Foy, National Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee, 604-880-2580

Members of the media and public who are interested in attending the Canada Day Campout should contact the Wilderness Committee at 604-683-8220