The Sunshine Coast Community Forest (SCCF), a logging company owned by the Dis- trict of Sechelt, has proceeded with yet more ecologically devastating clearcut logging of some of the best remaining mature forest in their Gray Creek Watershed tenure area – blocks AN15, AN03 and AN3A. SCCF claims to be instituting an Ecosystem Based Management Plan (EBM) developed by Madrone Environmental Services, and have publicly announced the goal of 30% retention of the oldest and most biodiverse forest remaining, though implementation is still only “aspirational” 2 years after making public commitments to do so. They continue to log forests required to fulfill that 30% goal hav- ing chosen to adhere to a low 10% protection level for now. However, for future plan- ning, important areas such as these blocks will be gone, diminishing the opportunity to reach that vital protection goal unless they instead conserve more immature forests lacking in biodiversity in their already heavily degraded operating areas.
Adding to concerns, in recent meetings with ELF, SCCF has walked back those original 30% commitments, with their Operations Manager Warren Hansen admitting they may only ever reach 20-25% conservation, and then not for 3-5 years. SCCF could have chosen to implement greater protection at any time, but they are still prioritizing eco- nomic interests over ecological integrity despite the three year old recommendations from the 2020 Old Growth Strategic Review accepted by the Province, that a paradigm shift that prioritizes ecological health over other interests is now critical.
The blocks are comprised of three separate areas amounting to 14,000 m3 of timber to be felled requiring 1.5 kms of new logging road. The decision to log these forests was based on the results of the EBM analysis which concluded these three blocks were not “old forests” nor “sufficiently established,” therefore did not meet the threshold for pro- tection in SCCF’s reserve design. These reserves are part of the recruitment plan to se- cure important forest ecosystems across SCCF’s three tenure areas to help restore lost biodiversity from past logging disturbance.
“The EBM consultants are severely restricted by SCCF’s current low 10% level of pro- tection for each forest ecosystem type,” states ELF forest campaigner Ross Muirhead.
“Reviewing Madrone’s EBM report revealed that in the Angus/Gray tenure area, they only need to protect another 43 hectares of forest to meet their 10% target. That will not secure or help restore the necessary biodiversity, especially given there’s only 3% old- growth left in that tenure area. There’s practically nothing left of the original biodiversity, and what they are logging are some of the best remaining examples.”
“Madrone is using an EBM methodology developed for the Great Bear Rainforest which is a different forest ecosystem than what’s found in the Gray Creek Watershed. The thresholds they use to define a stand as “old forest” are near to impossible to meet here. For example, it would take having 20 veteran overstory trees per hectare to meet their definition of “old” which we just don’t have on these drier sites,” Hans Penner of ELF states. ”These 3 blocks represent a whole lot of timber being removed, 14,000 m3 in this one area, which is much of their allocated total of 20,000 m3 per year. It’s time to scale back SCCF operations to perhaps 5,000 m3 per year to slow the death by a 1,000 cuts.”
One of the most progressive community forests in BC, the Harrop-Proctor Community Forest, transitioned to ecologically based forestry in one year’s time. ELF would like to see less advertising spin and foot dragging from SCCF and an immediate and overdue transition to a fully implemented, robust EBM plan that conserves 30% of the best re- maining forest while there’s still something left worth protecting. In addition, they should end their clearcut logging practices in favour of ecologically responsible selective log- ging. Until that occurs, they are only continuing to further degrade and endanger local ecosystems.
For more information contact:
Ross Muirhead
ELF Forest Campaigner 672-999-9477
elf-tr.org
