Cries of B次元官网网址渁ctionB次元官网网址� filled the air Thursday outside the premierB次元官网网址檚 office in Langford.

While John Horgan was not at the office, Bruce Fogg executive assistant to the premier, said he would relay the message and that Horgan is aware of the B次元官网网址渃omplexB次元官网网址� issue.

The Jacklin Road was one of 17 government offices across the province B次元官网网址� three in Greater Victoria B次元官网网址� subject to demonstrations. The residents called for improved forest management and protection of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 endangered old-growth forests.

B次元官网网址� Nicole Crescenzi (@NicoleCrescenzi)

Concerned local residents are demonstrating today outside of 17 offices of government demanding protection of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 old-growth forests. The demonstrations are part of a province-wide day of action coordinated by Sierra Club BC.

B次元官网网址淏.C.B次元官网网址檚 forests are in a state of emergency that cannot be ignored any longer,B次元官网网址� said Sierra Club BCB次元官网网址檚 Galen Armstrong. B次元官网网址淭his government was elected on a promise to use conservation solutions applied in the Great Bear Rainforest across BC, yet they have failed to act. The longer we delay the less old growth will be left, with negative consequences for communities, endangered species, ecosystems and our climate. Once these trees are gone, they will never come back.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� Goldstream B次元官网网址 Gazette (@GoldstreamB次元官网网址)

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In Victoria, dozens of people gathered outside MLA Carole James office on Fort Street, while a smaller group protested on Hillside Avenue outside MLA Rob FlemingB次元官网网址檚 office.

One such protester was Lyrica Sherwood, who carried a small cedar seedling in a pouch attached to her chest.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 here because old growth forests are sacred to me personally but also because theyB次元官网网址檙e so important for the lungs of the planet and habitats for so many different species, and for biodiversity,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hey take hundreds of years to grow, their whole ecosystem takes centuries, they are literally irreplaceableB次元官网网址�We need to protect it.B次元官网网址�

Elisabeth Hazell, Sierra Club BCB次元官网网址檚 manager of donor engagement, says climate change is such a huge problem that its difficult for people to wrap their headsB次元官网网址� around B次元官网网址� but saving B.C.B次元官网网址檚 old-growth trees is a tangible step.

B次元官网网址淎s British Columbians we have a global responsibility to take care of our forests,B次元官网网址� Hazell said. B次元官网网址淭hese trees are amazing machines that pull carbon right out of the atmosphere. It took 10,000 years for this ecosystem to develop and weB次元官网网址檙e losing our old growth on Vancouver IslandB次元官网网址�too fast.

ItB次元官网网址檚 really important that we prioritize this if weB次元官网网址檙e going to do anything meaningful about climate change.B次元官网网址�

Protesters around B.C. are calling on the province to halt old-growth logging in B次元官网网址渃ritical intact old-growth hotspots,B次元官网网址� according to a news release. They will also call for science-based protection of endangered old-growth forests.

Demonstrations were held in Oliver, Campbell River, Sidney, Duncan, Courtenay-Comox, Parksville, Nanaimo, Langford, Langley, Nelson, Prince George, Sechelt, Surrey, Vancouver and in Victoria at MLA Carole JamesB次元官网网址� office on Fort Street, MLA Rob FlemingB次元官网网址檚 on Hillside Avenue and Premier John HorganB次元官网网址檚 office on Jacklin Road in Langford.

B次元官网网址� with files from Swikar Oli, Nicole Crescenzi, Nina Grossman

c.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca
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