Signs were held outside the Ministry of Forests office on Tatlow Road in Smithers today. (Thursday)
About 10 people were protesting the provincial government’s “broken promises,” and calling for a halt of old growth logging to prevent further biodiversity loss in B.C.
“The rally is happening because the government has been promising to protect forests and stop the logging of old growth primary forest, which are the lungs of the planet, and they’re not,” said Co-Organizer Sarah Newton.
She added the old growth being logged is because the province is running out of timber and causing mills to shut down.
The other Co-organizer was Len Vanderstar who had spent 25 years as a habitat protection biologist for the province.
“We need to get rid of the current forest act and have a new one that is community based, puts value over volume, puts efficiency over waste, and brings jobs to the communities,” he said.
Vanderstar added 44 mills have shut down in B.C. in the past 10 years with annual timber harvesting dropping from 68 million cubic metres in 2015 to 39 million in 2023.
“When you look around at how much wood supply is coming out of this timber supply area, not all of it going to the mill, I’m predicting they will close [the Smithers mill] down in five years,” he said
He also added the system is designed for depletion, tying government revenue to the volume logged over how well forests are managed.
Some of the changes those rallying would like to see changed include:
- Lowering cuts to ecological limits to stabilize supply
- Establish Community Forest Boards to oversee forest resource management
- Reward value over volume
- Reform revenues tied to ecosystem like water, biodiverse landscapes, and lasting community jobs
- Diversify employment
Protests were held in ten communities across the province including in Victoria and Prince George.
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