(Situation: CRITICAL)
As warned in previous articles on this blog, BC's forests are in deep trouble now due to Govt's dereliction of duty in the cont'd clearcutting --i.e. mismanagement-- of the precious forest ecosystems that make 'Beautiful BC' & which support myriad species of [at-risk] biodiversity, fight climate change/ wildfires, store CO2, clean watersheds: their lifesaving benefits are countless -- & threatened..
"Our forests are our best ally in fighting climate change. Old-growth temperate rainforest has the largest carbon storage capacity per hectare on earth. Halting logging of endangered old-growth forest will help reduce BC’s carbon footprint and allow salmon, bears, wolves and many other species a fighting chance to adapt to a warming world." Learn more about forests and climate here.
Clearcut logging -- esp. of Old-Growth forests -- as well as dire SPRAYING OF GLYPHOSATE (= Bayer's Roundup) in forests throughout BC is the #1 cause of rapidly-spreading wildfires, as evidenced by the countless forest fires ripping thru cutblocks, endangering not just invaluable trees but numerous dependent flora & fauna, incl. Species At Risk that should be protected by law..
We're fighting a war VS. big-industry timber corps (backed by OUR GOVT!) & SO FAR, LOSING.. Forests need us now. So I'm compiling links to helpful allies defending BC forests, with ways you can join the fight to #SaveOldGrowth, #EndClearcutting & #StopTheSprayBC :
Good intentions aren’t enough to save the last old-growth - Sierra Club BC
Protect Nature - Greenpeace Canada
Tell BC: stop logging spotted owl habitat, permanently | Wilderness Committee
(More will be added)
Following is my latest letter to Govt --1 of MANY-- customized via SierraClubBC's letterwriting tool here:
https://sierraclub.bc.ca/tell-bc-forest-minister-to-protect-old-growth-forests-now/
Dear Minister Ralston,
RE: STOP SPRAYING BC FORESTS NOW!
To add to the 2 letters I've recently sent to your govt. re. the perilous state of BC forests, I strongly urge you to STOP THE SPRAY PROGRAM YOUR GOVT. IS ABOUT TO IMPLEMENT -- TODAY -- which, along with clearcutting, jeopardizes our natural ecosystems & the many dependant species therein.
Are you aware the destructive spraying of glyphosate (a toxic carcinogen) increases wildfire risks & kills off sensitive flora & fauna that help protect our forests -- & our communities -- against Climate change, pollution, water contamination, wildfires ETC?
The triple whammy of development, industrial logging & severe climate impacts means intact forests -- & esp. Old-growth carbon sinks -- are shrinking faster than ever, while ecological recovery of industrially degraded landscapes is failing.
Drenching these struggling natural biospheres with harmful chemicals that kill off all but the species pegged for harvest by logging co's -- eg. Lodgepole pine -- turns cutblocks into drought-prone wastelands & tinder fuel for spreading fires, devoid of the essential lifeforms found in healthy forests (incl. C02-absorbing ferns & fungi, & fire-resistent deciduous native trees like alder & birch).
With far too many BC forests felled & sprayed this way by logging co's focused solely on max profits (& blind to the resultant ill effects on harvest trees themselves, apart from the wholesale destruction of beneficial wilderness habitats), vast areas of BC's once-thriving natural landscapes are thus degraded & vulnerable to further harms.
Global heating is putting the health & safety of communities in danger, & clearcut logging -- esp. of old-growth forests -- is making things much worse, increasing instances of flooding, erosion, fires & landslides. Adding toxic chemicals exacerbates the number & size of these disasters.
David Eby promised to "accelerate" action on old growth when he became Premier in 2022 -- but to this day, NONE OF THE PANEL'S 14 RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED, & AT-RISK OLD-GROWTH FORESTS CONTINUE TO BE DESTROYED AT AN ALARMING RATE!!
You must act quickly to save our remaining intact forests, as they're our best hope for maintaining natural carbon sinks, reducing climate impacts & supporting the wildlife species that depend on healthy ecosystems for their survival.
I implore you to STOP THE SPRAYING OF BC'S FORESTS TODAY. Not doing so violates Canada's constitution, which outlines forest stewardship as a key responsibility. Stop allowing industrial practices to dictate your inaction on the Climate crisis, which is 'the Challenge of our Time' & the biggest threat to our thriving future..
It's your govt.'s responsibility to support the health & safety of communities. Please do your job, by BANNING THE SPRAY immediately -- before the situation becomes even more untenable!
Thank you very much,
Sarah (Saz) Chesterman
CC: Premier David Eby; Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, George Heyman; Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, Nathan Cullen; and my local MLA.
*Readers, I know it's hard to admit that Climate change is real & caused by us, & that the crisis has only gotten worse due to Big-Industry's outsize influence over our corrupt leaders. Thanks for caring -- please add your voice to as many forest-saving campaigns as you can, & share widely with your networks! With enough people-power, we can change the outlook for endangered biodiversity & irreplaceable forests in BC. But it's urgent -- Govt needs to know that we won'T let our remaining forests be decimated by greedy, profiteering & polluting co's that DONT BENEFIT US AT ALL: their giant machines do most of the work & employ as few workers as poss while destroying irreplaceable wilderness faster & more thoroughly than ever B4.. But WE NEED OUR FORESTS MORE URGENTLY THAN EVER B4!!
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PS. VOTE GREENS in upcoming elections: the onLy Cdn party that cares about our future, & works for US not for polluting megacorps -- see their website here: https://www.bcgreens.ca/ 🌿