Ever heard the saying B次元官网网址渃anB次元官网网址檛 see the forest for the trees?B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 when you are standing too close to something and lack the broader perspective and are not able to see the big picture. Or, if you are looking at things one at a time, you might not see their connection with all the others.

You can use this saying as an analogy for literally any situation, so itB次元官网网址檚 deeply ironic that it arises in the recent announcement by the BC NDP provincial government that they are going to protect 54 individual old-growth trees plus the hectare immediately in their vicinity, or their B次元官网网址渇riends.B次元官网网址�

I wonB次元官网网址檛 complain about the 54 trees they are protecting. ItB次元官网网址檚 a big victory that the province is not allowing the entire forest to be logged right up to the ancient creatureB次元官网网址檚 stem, like we see with B次元官网网址淏ig Lonely Doug.B次元官网网址� However, itB次元官网网址檚 disturbing that there is so little willingness to step up and do what actually needs to be done. Chiefly, we need to protect the integrity and function of ecosystems, not trees.

As we heard consistently throughout the Spring legislative session, the Minister of Forests, and his government, see only the value of the fibre. The value of a standing old-growth forest seems to be only in its economic potential for it to become a clearcut. ThatB次元官网网址檚 it. The governmentB次元官网网址檚 message box is an attempt to have it both ways, maintain the status quo and change. The direct quote from Minister Doug Donaldson from Question Period is,

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e committed to protecting old-growth forests as well as continuing with a vibrant forestry sector B次元官网网址� the 24,000 jobs that rely on old-growth forests in this province. And weB次元官网网址檙e undertaking an old-growth management plan, and weB次元官网网址檒l be conducting public engagement soon on that plan.B次元官网网址�

It appears this is the first step in the development of the management plan. The public consultation is coming soon.

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Unfortunately, forestry B次元官网网址渕anagement plansB次元官网网址� are actually a euphemism for tree cutting plans.

ItB次元官网网址檚 simply not good enough to protect individual trees. What we need is watershed management plans or ecosystem management plans. As our world changes around the last remaining old-growth forests, they are quickly becoming far more valuable than just the amount we can make by turning them into two by fours. ItB次元官网网址檚 the oxygen we breathe and the water supply of our communities. One ministry logs and another has to swoop in and fix the mess with a $150 million engineered solution; there is seemingly no connection between the two B次元官网网址� except, for the future of your community and your tax dollars.

What hasnB次元官网网址檛 changed is the governmentB次元官网网址檚 message box. Even with a change in Minister and a change in government, the message box does not change. Perhaps itB次元官网网址檚 time to step back and take a look at the forest for the trees.

Adam Olsen is the BC Green Party MLA for Saanich North and the Islands