Will logging of ancient forest be halted before it can begin?
by Wildstands
November 28, 2012 (Cortes Island, BC) — Residents of Cortes Island have formed a
blockade to stop the BC based timber company, Island Timberlands (I.T.), from
beginning logging operations in one of BC’s last stands of old growth coastal
Douglas-fir forest. For over four years,
community members have attempted to work with the company to develop an
ecosystem-based approach to forestry. As
road-building equipment moves in, the community is now left with no choice but
to stand in it’s path to defend these ecologically significant forests.
Yesterday, Island Timberlands
trucks were stopped at a logging road gate by two protesters lying on
the ground. Company personnel filmed the protesters, likely in
preparation for an application for a civil injunction. The protesters did not
respond to their questions and community members remained on the site until the end of the day.
Adjacent
landowners were among the community members present. One couple explained that
they have a water license on Basil Creek which runs through Island
Timberlands’ property. I.T. plans to log
in the riparian area and within 30 feet of the wetland that feeds the salmon-bearing
creek. They wrote to Morgan Kennah, Island Timberland’s Manager for Community
Affairs, stating their concerns about water supply and contamination. “I
thought I would get a letter from Morgan assuring me that my water supply would
be safe,” the landowner stated, “but that never happened. I got no response.” Another community member showed up with
Christmas decorations and a Christmas tree to lighten the protesters’ spirits.
Leah
Seltzer explained the situation in this way, “People are here because they want
to make it known that the industrial forestry model doesn’t work for local
communities and it doesn’t work for province. Island Timberlands will destroy
ecologically sensitive ecosystems and leave nothing beneficial in its wake. We
will be left with devastated ecosystems, a contaminated water supply and no
long-term jobs. All the benefit is going to people who live far away and who
aren’t aware of the cost of their profits to our community and our province.”
The threatened
lands contain some of the last 1% of old-growth Coastal Douglas-fir forests,
and, according to Ken Wu of the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA), are some of the
most extensive stands remaining in the endangered "Dry Maritime"
forests along BC's southern coast. The
forests also contain a number of documented threatened species and sensitive
ecosystems.
At this time,
I.T. has contracted several local workers but these jobs will only provide
short-term employment. More than 60% of
I.T.’s raw logs are shipped out of the province to be processed overseas. Standing exclusively to profit are I.T.’s corporate
shareholders, which include Brookfield Asset Management and the BC Investment
Management Corporation, the pension fund for provincial employees.
While I.T. claims
to use sustainable forestry practices, long-time forest activist and Cortes
Island land-owner, Tzeporah Berman, warns us not to be fooled: “The majority of
their logging is traditional clearcut logging with devastating ecological
implications that result in either a change of land use or a dramatically
weakened and simplified ecosystem. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
that Island Timberlands touts does not ensure strong environmental standards
and has little support from First Nations or environmental
organizations.”
Cortes resident
and Greenpeace co-founder Rex Weyler agrees.
“There’s no excuse for industrial-scale logging in these times,” he
says. “Forward-looking and economically-viable alternatives exist that are
based on community health and ecosystem health. Island Timberlands’ plans are a
step backwards. Cortes Island is moving forward.” Residents have sought Island Timberland’s
participation in this kind of forestry model but have been met with disregard.
Community members
hope that the situation will not escalate, and that I.T. will recognize that
Cortes holds a rare opportunity to work with a willing community to create a
forestry model that benefits everyone.
Until then, islanders will be standing in the way of the equipment, and
keeping a close eye on any further signs of I.T. activity on the island.
Several
participants are available for comment.
For more
information, please contact: http://wildstands.wordpress.com
(Please
be advised, there is limited cell phone service on the island but we will respond
to your calls as soon as possible.)
Media Liasons:
Leah Seltzer, Educator, Cortes resident
Zoe
Miles, Cortes-raised activist
No comments:
Post a Comment