McLaughlin Ridge

Status

Now Deferred

Location

Central Vancouver Island (near Port Alberni)

Size

500 hectares

Land Tenure

Private – Mosaic Forest Mangement

First Nations Territory

Hupacasath

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About McLaughlin Ridge

McLaughlin Ridge is a roughly 400-hectare tract of ancient Douglas-fir forest near Port Alberni that biologists have classified as critical habitat for both wintering deer and nesting endangered Queen Charlotte goshawks.

The land was formerly protected as an Ungulate Winter Range (UWR) for black-tailed deer and as a Wildlife Habitat Area (WHA) for the endangered goshawk until 2004 when the then BC Liberal government removed 88,000 hectares of land from its Tree Farm Licenses and transferred the land completely to the private ownership of Island Timberlands, thus removing most environmental protections on those lands.

McLaughlin Ridge, the Cameron Valley Firebreak, and Mount Horne were all intended to be protected as Ungulate Winter Ranges for wintering deer and/or elk until negotiations between the BC government and Island Timberlands fell apart. Island Timberlands began logging the 500-hectare tract of old-growth forest on McLaughlin Ridge, clearcutting 100 hectares or more from both sides of the grove, while about 400 hectares of the core area still remains.

These lands were once regulated to stronger public standards within their TFL’s – their removal thereby deregulated most of the environmental laws that otherwise would have protected the scenery, riparian zones for water quality and wild salmon, deer and elk winter ranges, endangered species habitats, and many old-growth stands, as well as restrictions on raw log exports.

The Port Alberni city council has also passed a resolution calling for the protection of McLaughlin Ridge, located in the city’s China Creek drinking watershed. Ancient Forest Alliance has continued to campaign for the protection of this area and in 2022, the McLaughlin Ridge was included in a suite of old-growth deferrals on private lands undertaken by Mosaic Forest Management, the current landowner.

Permanent protection for this incredible ancient forest is now needed. The BC government can help make this happen by creating a Provincial Land Acquisition Fund to help purchase and protect threatened old-growth forests like this one.

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Authorized by Ancient Forest Alliance, registered sponsor under the Election Act, 250-896-4007.

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Status

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Size

Land Tenure

First Nations Territory

About McLaughlin Ridge

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Who We Are

McLaughlin Ridge

Status

Location

Size

Land Tenure

First Nations Territory

About McLaughlin Ridge

Take Action

Donate

Send a Message

Get in Touch

Phone

Address

Resources

Who We Are

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