Send a message for old growth in the Akolkolex

To:
Charlene Strelaeff, RPF, Selkirk Natural Resource District Manager, Ministry of Forests
Russ Laroche, Regional Operations, South Area, Ministry of Forests
Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests

CC:
Selkirk Cedar and Downie Timber
Selkirk Natural Resource District, Ministry of Forests
David Eby, Premier of BC

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Dear Ms. Strelaeff, Mr. Laroche and Minister Ralston,

cc: Selkirk Cedar and Downie Timber, Selkirk Natural Resource District and Premier David Eby.

I am upset to learn about the logging of ancient old growth forests around Revelstoke, BC. Most recently Standfast creek in the Akolkolex valley (50.91706, -117.89899) just south of Revelstoke. A mapping error by the provincial government meant that a deferral was not applied, and as a result the area was logged. The area contained ancient forest likely over 400 years old.

The Inland Temperate Rainforest is a rare and red listed endangered ecosystem that is globally unique to the interior of British Columbia. These forests have developed over thousands of years, supporting diverse and rare ecological conditions that once cut, cannot be replaced. The benefits of keeping the trees standing is well known, and include; increased air quality for local residents, carbon sequestration during the existential threat of climate change, protection of rare and endangered lichens, forest fire mitigation, and maintaining habitat for threatened wildlife such as grizzly bears.

As a public body, the BC provincial government is accountable to the citizens of this province; fittingly, accountability is one of the guiding values, as well as personal responsibility. We believe the provincial government has not upheld their own stated values and made an unacceptable error by failing to defer the stand of old growth trees, or mandating that logging companies field verify logging developments for old growth values, resulting in logging and loss of an ancient forest. The town of Revelstoke deserves to see accountability for the repercussions of these events and to understand how this mistake was allowed to occur in the first place. We are also concerned that other additional areas of globally unique forest have been missed by the deferrals and these areas will continue to be logged.

It is also saddening to see a local company act against the best interest of the community and their professional responsibilities by continuing to log this endangered ecosystem. The benefits of keeping ancient forests standing vastly outweigh the short-term economic benefits of cutting them down. It is requested that Downie Timber refrain from further old and ancient forest logging now so this rare ecological gem is not eliminated forever.

Moving forward I request a detailed plan from the BC provincial government on how they will remedy the issue of mapping errors that are allowing logging companies to continue to cut old and ancient forest. The province must require logging companies to field assess new proposed developments for old and ancient forest values. It is also necessary for government leadersm, including the BC Minister of Forests, to engage and meet with local environmental groups such as Wildsight Revelstoke to discuss solutions for building a better future in our region.

Sincerely,

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