News Coverage

Nov 5 2015

News Coverage

Sustainable forestry cause draws 100 for Duncan rally

A march and rally for sustainable BC forestry garnered a crowd of upwards of 100 at Charles Hoey Park Friday afternoon. The event, organized by the Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada and the Ancient Forest Alliance, and attended by folks from up and down the Island, had a message for the provincial government: exported logs equals exported jobs and that’s not acceptable. “If you’re going to cut a tree down and give it to somebody else, leave the goddamn thing in the ground,” PPWC president Arnie Bercov told the group. “In 2004, at a critical juncture, as the majority of the prime old growth forests were logged out and huge areas of second growth forest matured, the BC Liberal government removed the local milling requirement that would have required that the licensees for the Crown lands would have had to convert their old growth mills to handle second growth logs,” Wu said. “But, at that critical time they removed the requirement through the so-called Forestry Revitalization Act, then came a wave of mill closures across the province...There’s been no incentives and regulations by the government, no leadership by the government to ensure that there’s a sustainable value-added second growth industry...” Wu said.

Sep 24 2015

News Coverage

B.C. suspends sale of ancient forest on Sunshine Coast identified as hot spot for bear dens

Environmentalists who blocked construction of a forestry road on the Sunshine Coast for more than five weeks have won a temporary victory in their bid to stop logging of an old-growth forest identified as a prime spot for black bear dens. B.C. Timber Sales won’t put the forest up for sale as planned on Oct. 1 and instead is “going to consider its options over the winter”... A July 2014 report by consulting biologist Wayne McCrory found “very high-quality old-growth den habitat” in the Dakota Valley near Sechelt. Based on field work within two of four cutblocks proposed for sale, he extrapolated that logging of the overall 64 hectares would impact about 32 active bear dens. The dens he investigated were within the trunk or cavity of cedar trees at elevations of 700 to 920 metres. Three-quarters of the best old-growth den habitat has already been logged in the area, McCrory observed, adding it is important to protect what little remains. Ross Muirhead and Hans Penner, environmental campaigners with Elphinstone Logging Focus, said in an interview that they hope suspension of the sale will give the province time to consider the ecological and cultural values of the Dakota Valley — and not just timber values. “Any delay in issuing the cutblock is good news,” Muirhead said. “It gives both sides more time to study the other features.”

Sep 3 2015

News Coverage

VIDEO: "Did You Know?" Ancient Trees on Shaw TV

Here is another "Did You Know" clip by the AFA's Ken Wu on Shaw TV, this time regarding BC's largest trees (Red Creek Fir, Cheewhat Giant, Big Lonely Doug, Lynn Valley's historical giants) and the threat to the Central Walbran Ancient Forest. The AFA's Hannah Carpendale is seen walking around the largest trees in Canada.  

Aug 27 2015

News Coverage

VIDEO: "Did You Know?" Old-Growth Forest on Shaw TV

Here is a "Did you Know?" clip on Shaw TV this week featuring the AFA's Ken Wu talking about BC's old-growth forests, their importance, and their continued endangerment on Vancouver Island by industrial logging.