Members of the Ancient Forest Alliance on the steps of the B.C. legislature are seen on Dec. 21, 2021
(CTV News)
Scott Weston
CTV News Vancouver Island Journalist
Published Dec. 22, 2021
On Tuesday, the Ancient Forest Alliance and BC Green Party MLA Adam Olsen held a briefing on the steps of the B.C. legislature demanding the province increase its funding for the protection of old-growth forests.
Staff with the Ancient Forest Alliance say there is an urgent need for substantial provincial funding to defer old-growth logging, particular for First Nations that are stuck deciding between supporting deferrals or maintaining logging revenue.
"We need to protect the last ancient stands of old-growth forests in B.C., but it's not as simple as the stroke of a pen or just passing a piece of legislation," said Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner Andra Inness.
"We need to support First Nations communities who are economically dependent on revenues from those old-growth forests," she said. "We need to supplant those revenues with economically sustainable alternatives, and that requires a significant funding commitment for the B.C. government."
Tuesday’s briefing comes after the province said in early November that it will work with First Nations to defer 2.6 million hectares of old-growth forest after a recommendation from an independent scientific panel.
Scott Weston
CTV News Vancouver Island Journalist
Published Dec. 22, 2021
On Tuesday, the Ancient Forest Alliance and BC Green Party MLA Adam Olsen held a briefing on the steps of the B.C. legislature demanding the province increase its funding for the protection of old-growth forests.
Staff with the Ancient Forest Alliance say there is an urgent need for substantial provincial funding to defer old-growth logging, particular for First Nations that are stuck deciding between supporting deferrals or maintaining logging revenue.
"We need to protect the last ancient stands of old-growth forests in B.C., but it's not as simple as the stroke of a pen or just passing a piece of legislation," said Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner Andra Inness.
"We need to support First Nations communities who are economically dependent on revenues from those old-growth forests," she said. "We need to supplant those revenues with economically sustainable alternatives, and that requires a significant funding commitment for the B.C. government."
Tuesday’s briefing comes after the province said in early November that it will work with First Nations to defer 2.6 million hectares of old-growth forest after a recommendation from an independent scientific panel.
'IMPOSSIBLE POSITION'
The Ancient Forest Alliance says that last week the B.C. government announced that most First Nations that responded to requests for deferrals have expressed an interest in discussing old-growth forest management with the province.
The conservation group says despite the positive response, the NDP government is failing to support the discussions with funding to offset the revenues from old-growth logging.
"We’re here to demand that the B.C. government commit significant funding in the upcoming budget in February to help First Nations to protect old-growth forests in their territories and develop their economies sustainably," said Inness. "Forests are the most carbon rich ecosystems on the planet, so in a climate change emergency we simply cannot afford not to do this."
Olsen says he is pleased to see the province move to protect B.C.’s most at-risk ancient forests but he says the commitment to First Nations communities that rely on the money generated from logging falls short.
"As long as they continue to come to the negotiation table with First Nations virtually empty handed, they won’t fully achieve it," said the Saanich North and the Islands MLA.
"Many Nations are dependent upon the revenues from logging in their territories, and the government is putting them in the impossible position of having to choose between old-growth protection and economic security," he said. "This does not advance conservation or reconciliation."
The Ancient Forest Alliance says the province has yet to announce new deferrals to halt old-growth logging in at-risk forests recommended by it’s Old Growth Strategic Review Panel. It says the B.C. government has allocated $12.6 million to support government-to-government negotiations on deferrals, but without financial support for compensation, First Nations may not support the proposed deferrals.
Inness says the financial commitment by the provincial and federal governments for the protection of BC’s ancient forests should be as much as $500 to $600 million.
"To be clear, we don’t expect all of that to come from the province," said Inness. "The federal government is coming to the table now with a significant funding contribution to expand protected areas across Canada, several hundred million of that will come to B.C. to expand protected areas here."
"There’s multiple sources where this funding can come from and we know Premier Horgan has acknowledged that significant funding is required, but he has yet to come to the table with it and that needs to happen now," she said.
Old-growth logging opponents urge B.C. to do more to protect the environment
December 22, 2021
A small crowd gathered on the grounds of the B.C. Legislature on Tuesday morning demanding more action from the provincial government to stop logging of old-growth forests.
While the demonstration was quiet and peaceful, another group is threatening more disruptive action if the NDP doesn’t do more.
“We have a broken relationship with the natural world that desperately needs to be restored,” said Andrea Inness of Ancient Forest Alliance, one of the speakers of the event.
Currently, the provincial government has committed to halting the logging of 2.6 million hectares of old-growth, and is working with First Nations to develop a new plan for sustainable forest management.
In the statement, B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development said, “we’re working with First Nations that want to move forward on immediate deferrals, continuing to engage with Nations who want more time or to talk through other processes, and continuing to reach out to Nations that haven’t responded.”
“We will support people and communities affected by upcoming temporary old-growth deferrals through a comprehensive suite of supports. We are committed to working in collaboration with First Nations, local communities, and industry to ensure we get this right,” the statement read.
It’s also promising about $12 million over three years to support First Nations through the process, but Inness says this isn’t enough.
“They haven’t committed the necessary funding to make that happen. So, these are empty promises that will come to nothing. So, we need to see, just like the Great Bear Rainforest, a significant conservation financing commitment from the government this budget,” she said.
“Asking them to respond to these requests without providing them with any kind of support to assist them in their analysis and planning is not a respectful and responsible way to go,” added Andy MacKinnon, a forest ecologist and Metchosin councillor.
They’re calling on the B.C. government to increase their funding to at least $300 million to support those most impacted by the old-growth forests deferrals.
While they acknowledge it is a lot of money, they said it’s imperative that the province provide more financial support.
“The impact of this is going to cost us far more than it would cost us to protect these ecosystems,” said Adam Olsen, the Green Party MLA for Saanich.
“When you take a look at the impact of floods and the impact of climate change on our province just this year, it’s going to cost us hundreds of millions of dollars or billions of dollars to repair just from one or two storm seasons,” he continued.
The B.C. government said that in February, it will introduce Budget 2022 “which will continue to be responsive to the needs of people, businesses, and communities to see them through the pandemic and into a strong economic recovery that supports all British Columbians.”
Tuesday’s quiet demonstration was nothing compared to what has happened in the past with some groups taking more extreme measures to drive their point home, including shutting down the Patricia Bay Highway for hours.
The “Save Old Growth” civil resistance movement announced on Tuesday it will “begin a campaign of continuous disruption of the Trans Canada Highway” starting on January 10th if the government does not end all active old-growth logging.
“It really is unfortunate that we have to do this. And it’s regrettable that we do have to stop people that are just trying to provide for themselves and their families. They’re not the people destroying our world. It’s the people that employ them that are,” said Brent Eichler, an activist who is part of the movement.
“It is regrettable, but history shows us that this is the way to win,” he added.
He said they’ll be attempting to shut down the highway around the province, including on the island three times a week throughout the month.
December 22, 2021
A small crowd gathered on the grounds of the B.C. Legislature on Tuesday morning demanding more action from the provincial government to stop logging of old-growth forests.
While the demonstration was quiet and peaceful, another group is threatening more disruptive action if the NDP doesn’t do more.
“We have a broken relationship with the natural world that desperately needs to be restored,” said Andrea Inness of Ancient Forest Alliance, one of the speakers of the event.
Currently, the provincial government has committed to halting the logging of 2.6 million hectares of old-growth, and is working with First Nations to develop a new plan for sustainable forest management.
In the statement, B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development said, “we’re working with First Nations that want to move forward on immediate deferrals, continuing to engage with Nations who want more time or to talk through other processes, and continuing to reach out to Nations that haven’t responded.”
“We will support people and communities affected by upcoming temporary old-growth deferrals through a comprehensive suite of supports. We are committed to working in collaboration with First Nations, local communities, and industry to ensure we get this right,” the statement read.
It’s also promising about $12 million over three years to support First Nations through the process, but Inness says this isn’t enough.
“They haven’t committed the necessary funding to make that happen. So, these are empty promises that will come to nothing. So, we need to see, just like the Great Bear Rainforest, a significant conservation financing commitment from the government this budget,” she said.
“Asking them to respond to these requests without providing them with any kind of support to assist them in their analysis and planning is not a respectful and responsible way to go,” added Andy MacKinnon, a forest ecologist and Metchosin councillor.
They’re calling on the B.C. government to increase their funding to at least $300 million to support those most impacted by the old-growth forests deferrals.
While they acknowledge it is a lot of money, they said it’s imperative that the province provide more financial support.
“The impact of this is going to cost us far more than it would cost us to protect these ecosystems,” said Adam Olsen, the Green Party MLA for Saanich.
“When you take a look at the impact of floods and the impact of climate change on our province just this year, it’s going to cost us hundreds of millions of dollars or billions of dollars to repair just from one or two storm seasons,” he continued.
The B.C. government said that in February, it will introduce Budget 2022 “which will continue to be responsive to the needs of people, businesses, and communities to see them through the pandemic and into a strong economic recovery that supports all British Columbians.”
Tuesday’s quiet demonstration was nothing compared to what has happened in the past with some groups taking more extreme measures to drive their point home, including shutting down the Patricia Bay Highway for hours.
The “Save Old Growth” civil resistance movement announced on Tuesday it will “begin a campaign of continuous disruption of the Trans Canada Highway” starting on January 10th if the government does not end all active old-growth logging.
“It really is unfortunate that we have to do this. And it’s regrettable that we do have to stop people that are just trying to provide for themselves and their families. They’re not the people destroying our world. It’s the people that employ them that are,” said Brent Eichler, an activist who is part of the movement.
“It is regrettable, but history shows us that this is the way to win,” he added.
He said they’ll be attempting to shut down the highway around the province, including on the island three times a week throughout the month.
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