Significant Progress to Protect Old-Growth Forests in BC, with Critical Funding Still Missing: “Building an Amazing Car without an Engine” – for now

BC Government Accepts Science-Based Old-Growth Mapping and Enacts Major Old-Growth Logging Deferrals in BC Timber Sales Areas (about 20% of remaining old-growth) – Vital Funding for Indigenous old-growth logging deferrals and protection sorely needed.

Federal Liberals’ $50 million BC old-growth fund an important step towards a much greater $600 million old-growth fund that is needed – BC NDP government continues as reluctant conservation laggards for funding old-growth protection.

Today BC Premier John Horgan is expected to present an “intentions paper” on the BC NDP government’s coming direction in regards to old-growth forest logging and/or protection, the forest industry and First Nations.

The announcement carries high stakes as the War in the Woods explodes in BC, with over 140 conservationists being arrested at old-growth protection blockades on southern Vancouver Island over the past month and ancient forest rallies erupting at BC NDP MLA offices across the province, with a groundswell of momentum that continues to rapidly grow nationally and internationally.

The BC NDP government’s budget released this week is a significant move to minimize disruption to the status quo of old-growth forest liquidation by timber companies, as it lacks the critically important funding needed to support First Nations old-growth protection initiatives at the most critical time – at a time when the province is engaging First Nations communities on developing major new policies and legislation to manage old-growth forests across BC, including key logging deferrals and potential areas to protect or not to protect.