April 3, 2002 -
VANCOUVER - Clear-cut logging continues in the old-growth forests of British Columbia’s coast despite a promise a year ago from government and timber companies to switch to more environmentally responsible methods, an investigation by three environmental organizations shows.
An analysis of all logging plans for cut blocks in central and north coast forests, including Haida Gwaii – an area known as the Great Bear Rainforest - shows that logging practices are not significantly different than before April 4, 2001 when the province and coastal First Nations signed an unprecedented agreement, say Forest Watch of British Columbia and the David Suzuki Foundation who examined the data.
Although the public generally believes logging practices have improved in this magnificent region, clearcutting still represents 72 per cent of logging on the coast and over 80 per cent of small salmon-bearing streams are logged right to their banks, the investigation found. The impact on salmon is alarming as these are the streams where salmon fry incubate.
“Our review shows that while the level of clearcutting has decreased in these vital temperate rainforests, clear-cut logging and logging right up to the banks of vital salmon streams is still being approved for forests on the coast,” said lawyer Aran O’Carroll, executive director of Forest Watch.
Clear-cut logging was observed as recently as a week ago when the Raincoast Conservation Society visited current logging sites on the central coast at Tom Bay between Bella Bella and Klemtu.
“Generally, the public believes that the Great Bear Rainforest has been saved and that logging practices have changed there. Well our on-site visits reveal this isn’t so and that devastating logging continues in these magnificent forests,” said Ian McAllister of Raincoast Conservation Society.
“For example, Western Forest Products continues to ignore the recommendations of scientists and is planning to decimate an important wolf-den site on Yeo Island north of Bella Bella,” he added.
While overnight changes were not expected after April 4, 2001, First Nations that signed the agreement and the environmental groups say they are disappointed that the change to ecosystem-based management is so slow and they expect to see a real difference on the ground. Of particular concern is continued logging to the edge of streams, many containing important salmon runs.
“The logging underway in our territory at Tom Bay by Western Forests Products is completely unacceptable to us and clearly does not represent the type of forestry practices we envisioned when we signed the General Protocol Agreement with the province last April,” said Chief Robert Germyn of the Heiltsuk First Nation who is a co-chair of the First Nations Turning Point initiative.
The three groups – Forest Watch, David Suzuki Foundation and Raincoast Conservation Society - are conducting an investigation of government-approved logging plans as well as actual logging practices undertaken since April 4, 2001 in central and north coast forests, which contain many unique animal and plant species including bear, wolf and salmon. The groups plan to conduct an annual investigation for three years to monitor logging practices in the area and the switch to ecosystem-based management.
“This investigation is consistent with what we see throughout our territories where commercial logging is happening,” said Chief Germyn.
“As far as any on-the-ground changes, we’re not seeing much,” he added.
Seven coastal First Nations and the province signed the unprecedented General Protocol Agreement on April 4, 2001 which established that environmentally responsible logging and land-use planning is to occur in the forests that stretch from the northern tip of Vancouver Island to the border with Alaska, including Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands). The agreement was intended to provide First Nations access to forest-based economic opportunities and to ensure long-term sustainability in Canada’s remaining temperate rainforest, which is the largest intact tract in the world and represents one-quarter of the remaining temperate rainforest on Earth.
“To date, the province has not moved ahead on any economic opportunities for First Nations so that we can ensure these forests remain for future generations,” said Art Sterritt of the Gitga’at First Nation and a Turning Point co-chair. “The government is working on a mitigation plan with industry and plans to protect some valleys that are important to environmental groups, but as usual First Nations come up empty.”
Cheri Burda, the David Suzuki Foundation’s forestry director, said the three groups are undertaking this extensive paper and site investigation in order to determine if industry and government are complying with the spirit of the April 4th agreement.
“We can’t have talk and log, which we fear is happening,” Ms. Burda said. “The change to ecosystem-based management has to begin now with real improvement on the ground if First Nations and communities on the coast are going to have a future in forestry period. Continued clearcutting and the destruction of fish streams will only undermine their economic opportunities.”
A committee, approved by government, First Nations, industry and environmental organizations, has been established to determine how ecosystem-based management will be implemented on the coast.
“We will be submitting our findings to this committee so that it has an accurate picture of what logging has been approved and what has occurred since April 4, 2001,” said Ms. Burda. “According to the agreement, clear-cut logging should not be happening yet it continues.”
The three environmental groups will soon release an in-depth report containing complete analysis of each approved cut block and the actual logging being conducted.
Photos and B-Roll are available. For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact Jean Kavanagh, David Suzuki Foundation, 604-732-4228 ext. 229
