Stop logging caribou habitat in the Seymour

Two logging companies, Pacific Woodtech and Stella Jones, are threatening to cut down more than 600 hectares of endangered mountain caribou habitat in the remote Seymour River watershed, 100 kilometres north of Salmon Arm.

Located in what biologists refer to as ‘the hub’ of the Columbia North herd’s range, almost all of these proposed clearcuts overlap with areas that the B.C. government has deemed to be critical habitat for the long-term survival of this herd.

The cutblocks also contain unprotected old growth forests and precious intact remnants of B.C.’s threatened Inland Temperate Rainforest. One of only three such rainforests left in the world, the ITR is an ecosystem on the brink of collapse — one century ago, B.C. had 1.3 million hectares of ITR, but today only 60,000 hectares of core, old forest remain.

Join us in calling on B.C. Premier David Eby, Pacific Woodtech, Stella Jones and other key decision makers to show leadership and protect these forests. Use our pre-written letter to take action today.

For more information, read our blog.

Your message for caribou

To: David Eby, B.C. Premier
Ravi Parmar, B.C. Minister of Forests
Randene Neill, B.C. Minister of Land, Water, and Resource Stewardship

cc:
Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada
Rick Manwaring, Deputy Minister, FLNRO
Ray Crampton, District Manager, FLNRO
Gerry MacDougall, Regional Executive Director, FLNRO
Patrick McMechan, Fibre & Production Manager, Stella-Jones
Fernando Cocciolo, Forest Manager, Pacific Woodtech

Subject

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Your message

Dear Premier Eby, Minister Ralston and Minister Cullen

cc: Minister Guilbeault
Ray Crampton, Gerry MacDougall, Rick Manwaring, FLNRO
Patrick McMechan, Stella Jones & Fernando Cocciolo, Pacific Woodtech

I am calling on your government, Pacific Woodtech and Stella Jones to immediately stop logging core caribou habitat in the Seymour River watershed of the Inland Temperate Rainforest. If approved, the current logging proposals from Pacific Woodtech and Stella Jones would result in the combined loss of over 600 hectares of low-elevation, core caribou habitat and significant areas of unprotected old growth forests.

The loss of these forests would fragment and degrade the Columbia North caribou herd’s habitat, putting it at greater risk of extinction.

Currently, this herd is the largest and most viable of B.C.’s southernmost caribou herds, numbering approximately 209 animals, but its survival is far from guaranteed. Pacific Woodtech and Stella Jones’ proposed clearcuts are at the heart of what biologists refer to as ‘the hub’ for the Columbia North herd. The hub encompasses some of the most moderate terrain in the herd’s range, and is where the herd spends most of its time. Any destruction of this area would have serious implications for the Columbia North herd’s ongoing survival.

In addition, these clearcuts would result in the loss of more irreplaceable old growth forests in the Inland Temperate Rainforest. This globally unique and threatened ecosystem supports a huge diversity of species, including lichens found nowhere else, rare plant communities, grizzly bears, wolverines and mountain caribou.

It is unacceptable that the upper Seymour River area continues to be logged, despite your government’s commitments to protect mountain caribou and old growth forests.

Pacific Woodtech and Stella Jones should not put any more money into these developments and should not proceed with any logging in the Seymour, Ratchford, Mosquito, Myoff and Blais Creek drainages. The province must prioritise the protection of these places.

Sincerely,

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