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2022-TimberWest-Beside Granite Bay Road near trail to Mount Seymour
Since 2010, Min. of Forest designate 67 year olds as Prime harvestable trees. With and average age of trees in BC at about 400 years, that's about 20% of its potential life. By comparison to humans and values, If the modern day average age of Canadians is 75 years, any human over 16 years of age (20%) are past their value to society. Any Canadian over 20 years of age should be re-cycled (movie Carousel or Solient Green) -
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Visual quality objectives
In the map below the gray-coloured private land areas are NOT protected since government has no policy or authority to regulate how private land is managed. During public review of the Draft VQO there were requests for this “misrepresentation” to be corrected; however, the Ministry’s final maps (still) show private waterfront coloured with “protection”—which makes government’s “protected-area” appear much larger than in reality. Private land protections are only what the landowner chooses to implement. The new VQO does offer additional visual protection for a number of areas, which is a welcome improvement. It’s noteworthy that both sides of Hole-In-The-Wall are now better protected, and Bute Inlet up to Orford River has been elevated from Modification to Partial Retention. However, there is one serious omission: The west side of Maurelle Island has had its protection downgraded! This Okisollo shoreline has been a matter of community concern and discussion for many years, and there have been deliberate community requests for the Maurelle shoreline to be upgraded to “Retention” due to its high tourism values and proximity to the Octopus Islands Marine Park. Except for the big trees that BCTS wants to log, there is no rationale for degrading this viewshed that has in recent years been elsewise prioritized through public and government investments of time and energy and millions of tax dollars. Please note: there is discussion underway about how to respond—and information will be circulated when there is a plan for how to make our community response(s) most effective. -
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United for Old Growth: 160+ organizations call on BC to follow through on old-growth commitments
untilGroups announce February 25 rally at Provincial Legislature, issue declaration calling on the Province to accelerate action for threatened forests. UNCEDED LEKWUNGEN TERRITORIES/VICTORIA—168 organizations across British Columbia have issued a declaration called United We Stand for Old-Growth Forests, calling on Premier David Eby and his government to fulfill their commitments on old-growth. Signatories of the declaration, including the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, the Climate Caucus network of municipal elected leaders, and B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU), are urging Eby to follow through on his October 2022 promise to “accelerate” action to protect old-growth forests within 100 days, and implement a paradigm shift in forest stewardship to safeguard biodiversity. The organizers announced plans for a mass mobilization to hold the province accountable, with a march and rally scheduled for February 25, Eby’s 100th day. “The government’s continued negligence and stonewalling on truly protecting old-growth and elder trees is endemic in its approach to climate change and the stewardship of our environment,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. “This feigned ignorance of what is happening to our forests by government and industry will be our downfall, and the impacts of this inaction will prevent us from leaving our future generations with a rich legacy of vibrant, healthy and productive forest lands.” Phillip added. “We must do everything in our power to protect these ancient giants and we cannot stop putting pressure on our governments to do their jobs: to protect us and the environment, not act as timber barons whose only concern is this year’s financial statements.” Despite promising to implement all 14 recommendations from the Old Growth Strategic Review (OGSR) in 2020, the B.C. government has permitted the destruction of thousands of hectares of the most at-risk old-growth stands in the province. The 2020 recommendations were tied to a three-year framework with the goal to have all implemented in 2023 — to date, not a single recommendation has been fulfilled. Premier Eby pledged to accelerate action upon becoming leader of the B.C. NDP, and called on Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Nathan Cullen to “begin implementation of recommendations of the Old Growth Strategic Review” in his mandate letter. However, the most at-risk old-growth forests are still being clearcut while B.C. stalls on enforcing logging deferrals. The deferrals are the bare minimum and most urgent recommendation of the 2020 OGSR. “We must continue to hold our governments accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis that we are suffering through, and this environmental negligence and corporate greed must be stopped,” said Kukpi7 Judy Wilson, Secretary-Treasurer of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. “Our future generations are dependent on the actions we take today, and we are at a critical point in time for direct action to protect forest ecosystems. For too long we have allowed governments to tear down our ancient elders, who are our relatives, but no more. We are standing up to protect them.” Protecting the last stands of old-growth is as much an issue for human rights, labour, education, and healthcare as it is for environmental groups. Organizers say this is a movement for all people, which is reflected in the list of declaration signatories, and are inviting all individuals and groups to participate in the United for Old-Growth march and rally at the B.C. Legislature on February 25. The signatories are calling on the province to align all forest management with the principles of free, prior and informed consent for First Nations. The declaration draws on the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs Resolution 2022-32, affirmed by Chiefs in June 2022, and calls for full financial support to enable logging deferrals, and fulsome funding for First Nations-led conservation initiatives. Organizers say the declaration is open to additional signatories and invite new groups to join and demonstrate the broad support for old-growth protection in the lead-up to February’s mass mobilization. “Whether it’s youth yearning for a liveable climate, working families seeking sustainable jobs in their communities, doctors and nurses speaking up for a healthy planet, Indigenous people defending what’s theirs, or faith, environmental and community groups standing up for irreplaceable ecosystems, protecting old-growth is a movement for everyone,” said Jackie Larkin, organizer with Elders for Ancient Trees, a founding signatory on the United We Stand declaration. “From elders to the youngest children, everyone belongs and all are welcome—we invite all organizations to join this declaration, and everyone who’s able to unite with us to make February 25th a day to remember.” -
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Procyon lotor (Racoon)
I saw a raccoon foraging on the west side of Maurelle Island, just opposite Octopus Islands. 2018?. I will see if I can find the photo.- Guest commented on Project Staff's record in Animal species of the Discovery Islands: Land mammals -
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(2020-07-11) Letter to Mosaic Forest Management re future logging near Missing Links and Eagle Ridge Trail
Thanks for sharing your letter to TimberWest with the community, Jim. Logging in this area is again a concern since TimberWest/Mosaic has recently flagged potential logging near the Eagle Ridge Trail. One thing about TimberWest's planning/community engagement process that seems problematic is captured in this sentence of Chad Iverson's response: "None of the blocks are shared until this is all completed, and a draft map and plan are compiled." Wouldn't it be better if TimberWest sought out community input before they did any planning? As it is, they invest time and money before seeking input and are obviously going to be reluctant to ditch their investment in planning just because of a little community concern. -
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(2020-07-11) Letter to Mosaic Forest Management re future logging near Missing Links and Eagle Ridge Trail
RE: July 17, 2020 Letter Dear Mr. Leishman, Thank you for expressing your concerns regarding the recently hung falling boundary adjacent the Eagle Ridge Trail on Quadra Island. As you noted, Mosaic and the companies it represents take pride in their respectful and honest relationship with the communities and associated groups they interact with. This has been demonstrated on Quadra Island through our ongoing commitment to follow through with the well-defined planning and communication process established over the last 20 plus years. This includes sharing all planned blocks with The Sierra Club, The Salmon Enhancement Society, The Quadra Island Cycling Coalition, The Quadra Island Trails Committee and any other immediate neighbors within the vicinity of where we plan to harvest. The process allows concerns expressed by the groups and individuals to be heard, and wherever possible and reasonable, incorporated into the plan or alteration thereof. The actual ribbon hanging, or block lay-out, is only one small part of what is in many cases a multi year iterative planning and consultation process before reaching harvest. In this case the harvest area in question is likely at least 2 or more years out in the current plan. Once ribbons are initially hung by field crews the block is reviewed by a Mosaic Area Planner, in this case me. The entire block is walked, potential issues are noted, and the required changes to rectify those issues are made. Issues pertaining to any values outside of the planner’s scope of expertise may also be referred specific professionals (ie. biologists, terrain specialists, engineers) should it be necessary. None of the blocks are shared until this is all completed, and a draft map and plan are compiled. To date none of the process above, beyond the initial lay-out, has taken place for this block. As such the information sharing process has not yet begun. It was noted that there are other new blocks within the accessible hiking areas on the Island. These too will require a thorough walk through which has yet to happen and are subject to change. To aid in the mid to long range planning process, blocks need to be established well in advance to allow ample time to work with our stakeholders and address potential issues. I hope this allays some of your immediate concerns. Nothing is final until it has undergone consultation and the block is placed under cutting permit. We are at early stages in the process and no where near this currently. I am happy to meet with you in the near future at a mutually agreeable time to further review your concerns. Sincerely, Chad Iverson, RPF Area Planner/Contract Manager Mosaic North Island Operation -
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Recently posted on the Evergreen Alliance