Protesters in Port Renfrew are B次元官网网址渄evastatedB次元官网网址 that the Fairy Creek Watershed was not included in B.C. governmentB次元官网网址檚 list of old-growth deferral areas announced last week.
On Sept. 11, after the release of B次元官网网址楤次元官网网址 prepared by foresters Al Gorely and Garry Merkel, Forest Minister Doug Donaldson announced that nine forest areas in B.C. will be protected from logging, pending consultation with local Indigenous communities.
Three of these areasB次元官网网址 HB次元官网网址橩usam, McKelvie Creek and Clayoquot SoundB次元官网网址 are on Vancouver Island.
Protesters at the Fairy Creek blockade called the move a B次元官网网址渄iversion.B次元官网网址
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e included areas that are mostly protected, B次元官网网址 said Saul Arbess, a spokesperson for the protest group at Fairy Creek Watershed.
Despite the recommendation for an immediate response to B次元官网网址渆cosystems at very high risk,B次元官网网址 Arbess said nothing was done about other areas on Vancouver Island that are under immediate threat, or where active logging is taking place.
In a statement, the protesters highlighted other areas on Southern Vancouver Island under immediate threat where active logging is taking place, including Caycuse, Edinburgh Mountain, Central Walbran, Nahmint Valley.
B次元官网网址淎ll of these areas deserve, and must receive, permanent protection from logging.B次元官网网址
The group also pointed out other intact watersheds on Vancouver Island that are at at imminent risk from new logging and road building such as the West Kauwinch River, and the Zeballos Lake watersheds.
B次元官网网址淔airy Creek has spectacular yellow cedar stands, a highly endangered and underrepresented species in B.C.B次元官网网址檚 forest inventory. The report calls for further protection of these species, yet the headwaters of Fairy Creek, and several adjacent old growth forests remain slated to be logged. Surely, the last intact watershed in the immense San Juan River drainage deserves a permanently protected designation.B次元官网网址
The group said that the B次元官网网址渂lockades of the accesses into Fairy Creek will remain in placeB次元官网网址 until the government defers Fairy Creek and the other contiguous old growth forests from further incursions and permanently protects them from logging.
The Fairy Creek blockade was launched on Aug.10, by a group of B次元官网网址榝orest defenders,B次元官网网址 to prevent Teal Jones GroupB次元官网网址檚 construction crews from building a road to the watershed.
In an e-mail, Donaldson had told Black Press that approximately 50% of Fairy Creek watershed is protected under a Marbled Murrelet Wildlife Habitat Area.
B次元官网网址淥ur government knows there is more work to do when it comes to protecting old growth forests. ThatB次元官网网址檚 why we launched the independent review and engagement into how B.C. manages old growth forests,B次元官网网址 said Donaldson.
Following the release of the report last week, the forest minister had also issued a statement suggesting a departure from aB次元官网网址漰atchwork approachB次元官网网址漮f management of old-growth forests in B.C.
B次元官网网址淲e need to do better and find a path forward that preserves old-growth forests, while supporting forest workers,B次元官网网址 he said.