Vancouver Sun: Languishing ‘in the doldrums’: Conservation groups demand action on B.C.’s old-growth logging review

October 2, 2025 Ken Wu

It's been five years since an independent panel, convened by the B.C. government, made 14 recommendations to protect old growth forests.

Conservation groups and First Nations are calling on the B.C. government to act on five-year-old promises to overhaul the logging industry to protect old-growth forests.

In 2019, the NDP government convened an independent panel to travel the province and gather input on old-growth forests. A year later the old-growth strategic review provided 14 recommendations.

Victoria Buzz: Images expose ongoing old-growth logging as BC government misses key deadline

October 2, 2025 Ken Wu

Conservation groups and environmental advocates are urgently calling on the BC government to take action in protecting old-growth forests.

This call to action comes on the five year anniversary of the Old Growth Strategic Review (OGSR) which offered the Province recommendations that would need to be acted upon in order to properly protect BC’s old-growth.

My Cowichan Valley Now: Conservationists call for BC forestry industry to be modernized

March 28, 2025 Ken Wu

Screenshot of the article from My Cowichan Valley Now

Conservationists want BC’s forestry industry to be modernized amid ongoing US tariff threats.

The Narwhal: What is a ‘private forest’ in B.C.? And how much logging is allowed there?

February 23, 2025 Ken Wu

B.C.’s private forests aren’t subject to the same logging regulations as those on public land — putting old growth, wildlife habitat and significant ecosystems at risk

Conservationists Welcome BC NDP and Green Governance Agreement – BC Forestry Review Could Provide Key Opportunity to Strengthen Old-Growth Forest Protection Policies

December 17, 2024 Ken Wu

The Endangered Ecosystems Alliance (EEA) and Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) are welcoming the new 2024 Cooperation and Responsible Government Accord between the NDP and Green parties in BC. The cooperation agreement's priorities include the protection of Fairy Creek and a comprehensive review of BC forests in partnership with First Nations and diverse sectors, offering a key opportunity to strengthen old-growth forest protection policies.

The Narwhal: Did B.C. keep its old-growth forest promises?

May 29, 2024 Ken Wu

It’s been four years since a pair of professional foresters hired by the BC NDP government urged the province to take a radically new approach to old-growth forests.

In their strategic review, Garry Merkel and Al Gorley said the government should manage B.C.’s old forests as ecosystems rather than a source of timber. They also called for an immediate deferral of logging in old-growth forests in B.C. at risk of irreversible biodiversity loss.

Ha-Shilth-Sa: Mowachaht/Muchalaht awarded $15 million to protect old growth and salmon

January 16, 2024 Ken Wu

A project to protect a significant portion of Mowachaht/Muchalaht territory has been pledged $15-million from the federal government, fueling an initiative to save old growth and salmon populations in Nootka Sound over the next generation.

On Oct. 30 Canada’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change sent a letter to Eric Angel, project manager for the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation’s Salmon Parks initiative. This confirmed over $15 million in funding for the project, payable up to March 31, 2026.

Campbell River News Mirror: First Nation creating new Salmon Parks to protect fragile ecosystems

January 15, 2024 Ken Wu

Over 650 square kilometres of forest, rivers, old growth and shoreline are in the process of being protected by the Mowachaht / Muchalaht First Nation on western Vancouver Island.

National Observer: The U.S. is banning old-growth logging. Why can’t we? (national Observer)

December 28, 2023 Ken Wu

The U.S. has pledged to ban old-growth logging, but protecting Canada's ancient forests won't be as simple, stakeholders say.

The Narwhal (Opinion): Is B.C. finally getting real about protecting nature? (The Narwhal)

December 1, 2023 Ken Wu

A historic turning point in how the province prioritizes conservation over industry profits also shows Indigenous Rights and protecting biodiversity go hand-in-hand

Globe and Mail: ‘Salmon parks’ in traditional First Nations territory aim to save habitats by stopping old-growth logging

November 29, 2023 Ken Wu

Celina Starnes, Endangered Ecosystems Alliance’s Operations and Outreach Director, looks up at the big-leaf maple grove of the Burman River valley, which lies within the Mowachaht/Muchalaht salmon-park system. Photo Credit: TJ Watt

New plan from the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, aided by the B.C. and federal governments, signals a shift in Indigenous-led conservation across the province

Backed by a $15.2-million commitment from the federal government, a First Nations community on the west coast of Vancouver Island intends to buy out forestry tenures to stop old-growth logging in selected watersheds around Nootka Sound.

Global TV: Draft policy could be a game-changer for B.C. old-growth protection, conservationist says

November 24, 2023 Ken Wu

Watch the news video here.

This draft policy is being described as a "game changer" in efforts to protect B.C.'s old growth forests. As Paul Johnson reports, conservationists are welcoming a draft plan from the provincial government that would not only consider the economic but also the ecological value of our forests.

CBC - BC'S Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework, Conservation Financing and Old-Growth Forests with Ken Wu- On the Island with Gregor Craigie

November 16, 2023 Ken Wu

Today's CBC Interview with the Endangered Ecosystems Alliance’s (Note: Not the Ancient Forest Alliance) executive director Ken Wu on the newly announced Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework, the potential ecosystem-based protection targets that it may usher in, and how it relates to the new conservation financing funds in BC worth over $1 billion…and what it all means for old-growth forests.

‘Potential paradigm shift’: Activists are hopeful for BC’s new environmental protections (Victoria Buzz)

November 15, 2023 Ken Wu

BC’s government is trying to implement further steps to protect and preserve the province’s at-risk environment through a new biodiversity and ecosystem health framework (BEHF).

Right now the BEHF is just a draft proposal, but Nathan Cullen, the Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, is hopeful that it will become legislation and allow for the preservation of BC’s well-known natural landscapes.

A billion dollars for nature in B.C. as long-awaited agreement is signed (The Narwhal)

November 7, 2023 Ken Wu

The tripartite nature agreement comes with new and old funding to protect old-growth forests, species at risk

Federal, provincial and First Nations leaders gathered against the backdrop of Burrard Inlet Friday to announce a long-awaited nature agreement that promises further protections for old-growth forests and at-risk species.

Billion Dollar Nature Agreement Announced will Supercharge Protected Areas Expansion in BC!

November 3, 2023 Ken Wu

Conservationists thanked the BC and federal governments for the $1.1 billion launch of the BC Nature Agreement. The federal government has provided $500 million and BC is providing $563 million from diverse funding sources - now purposed towards achieving BC’s 30% by 2030 nature protection, conservation, and restoration goals via First Nations conservation agreements.

The Endangered Ecosystems Alliance (EEA) and Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA) are greatly applauding the BC and federal governments and the First Nations Leadership Council for launching the BC Nature Agreement, with $1.1 billion in funding to start, to help achieve BC’s minimum protected areas target of protecting 30% by 2030 of its land area. The tripartite agreement, negotiated between the BC government, federal government, and the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC), comes with a $563 contribution from the province and a $500 million federal contribution. The fund will continue to grow with major contributions from the philanthropic community and potentially from future government budgets over time.

New $300M fund aims to protect old-growth forests, other natural spaces in B.C. from development (CBC News)

October 31, 2023 Ken Wu

Premier says fund represents modern stewardship between government, First Nations, conservationists, industry

B.C. has announced a new $300-million fund to protect threatened ecosystems in the province.

‘The money that’s needed’: B.C. announces $300-million Indigenous conservation fund to protect old-growth forests (The Narwhal)

October 31, 2023 Ken Wu

The new funding is welcomed by conservation groups that say the province has voiced support for old forest protections while continuing to allow clearcut logging in rare ecosystems and in the habitat of endangered species

B.C.'s $300M old-growth fund puts First Nations 'in the driver's seat' (Time Colonist)

October 31, 2023 Ken Wu

$300-million investment aims to save B.C.'s old-growth forests by offering First Nations sustainable economic alternatives to industrial logging.

EEA's Feedback on Canada's National 2030 Biodiversity Strategy

July 13, 2023 Ken Wu

National Biodiversity Strategy feedback

What are the key features of a successful National Biodiversity Strategy?

Protected areas must constitute the foundation to reach the 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030 minimum targets – not less stringent “conserved areas” that lack the protection standards (eg. may allow commercial logging and other industrial activities) and permanency (many are readily removable) of protected areas.

Ecosystem-based targets must be set by ecological science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge committees to protect the full diversity of ecosystems on a sufficient scale to ensure the long-term ecological viability of each ecosystem.

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