Hello NDP Government officials:
The Vancouver Island Forest Focus group is alarmed by the fact that BC Timber Sales has at least nine cutblocks of old-growth ecosystems on auction for this year. Three other cutblocks have already been given license to be clear-cut.
We all know that primary forests are under serious threat from clear-cut logging. Estimates show that less than 3% of these irreplaceable ancient stands remain, yet they are being sold off to the highest bidder with little or no oversight by BCTS. Deferrals suggested by the Technical Advisory Panel only included a very, very small percentage of primary forests.
We believe that BC has an ethical and global responsibility to protect the abundant plant and animal biodiversity that these forests are home to. Primary forest biodiversity has been proven to mitigate global warming, forest fires, droughts, fish stock depletion, landslides and floods.
As far as we know, Indigenous Band Councils are not always being consulted with regards to BCTS auctions and they are not being asked for consent for logging operations outside of deferrals. We heard from a Da’naxda’xw Band Council member that BCTS licensees Teal-Jones and Interfor in the Knight Inlet have given verbal consent to withdraw from logging if they can receive funding to compensate for lost revenues. Can you please outline what avenues you provide for these kinds of situations?
We look forward to hearing from you, in this election year, regarding how you can help us save these fragile ecosystems.
Eartha Muirhead
VIFF Campaigner
250-335-1141
