My Letter to BC Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar 'et al'

 

As someone who is deeply concerned about the dangerous direction of the BC Govt & MSM vis-a-vis the perilous state of BC's globally-rare rainforest ecosystems, I wrote the following letter in support of a (Govt-promised) Biodiversity & Ecosystem Health law - via the locally-based non-profit Neighbours United.  ( Be sure to add your name to their related petition at this link:  Add your name - Defend our home - Neighbours United )  Here's my letter: 

Dear Ministers Neill, Parmar and Premier Eby,

As a born & bred BCer I've been advocating for biodiversity & ecosystem protection for literally years, having learned firsthand the heart-sinking outcomes of govt. policies that blatantly ignore Science & give logging ops free rein to wipe out whole wildlife habitats with frighteningly efficient clearcutting, spraying with deadly chemicals & other last-century industrial norms that should be banned by now.

In Maple Ridge, the latest result of your govt's inaction sticks out like an open wound:  a giant clearcut adjacent to Dewdney Trunk Rd that's suddenly eliminated an entire stretch of forest - along with all its Climate-protecting/ wildlife-sustaining assets - just in time for summer (/'fire season').  Making the drive is now a torturous reminder of your govt's dereliction of duty that allowed this to happen ON YOUR WATCH..

So my worries for BC's future have only intensified, seeing the (predicted & well-warned) disastrous effects of govt's reckless doubling-down on egregious status-quo 'Talk-and-log' hypocrisy serving corporate profits over BCers' best interests AS ELECTED PUBLIC SERVANTS!

As such, you must be aware of the dangerous ongoing drought emergency across BC - directly caused & exacerbated by harmful ecocidal policies furthered by your govt.  And I shouldn't have to remind you of pre-election promises to apply the Old-growth Strategic Review report's recommendations for forestry reforms - marked 'URGENT' with good reason, i.e. per scientists' findings commissioned by your govt!  ON TOP OF good-faith election declarations to legislate Species At Risk protection within B.E.H.F. (Biodiversity & Ecosystem Health Framework)??

Reneging on these measures in favour of inaction is a huge betrayal by your govt. -  UNACCEPTABLE IN FACT!   It's as if we've been abandoned - denied decision-making rights+++ - by glib officials who openly pander to U.S./ multi-nat'l/ billionaire corporate lobbyists:  NOT what BC needs or wants!  No wonder your corrupt Conservative 'opponents' have gained undue support from gullible BCers who are understandably disappointed by your obvs. lack of caring or leadership.

The only way to make this right is to honour your intentions & prioritize B.C.'s globally-rare natural ecosystems, now & in future, by getting back to work on 'Just Transition':  finalizing legislation of BC's Species at Risk act, applying the OldGrowth Strategic Review recommendations & ratifying our urgently-needed B.E.H.F. laws = PROVEN SOLUTIONS for a thriving future.  Making deals with U.S. billionaires tied to Trump's resource-grabbing sweeps are NOT THE WAY TO MAKE CANADA STRONG!

I must also strongly suggest you put new rules in place that restrict the corrupting influence of corporate lobbyists on govt law-making, by limiting their unaccountable access to MPs' official duties.

Thank you very much,

[SaRah ChesTeRman]

Letter #14 to BC-NDP - Minister of Forests Katrine Conroy

 

Written using Sierra Club's letter-writing TooL (ALways besT to personalize!)  You can write one too, @ this link:  

CLICK HERE 2 WRITE YOUR OWN Letter 2 BC's Forest Minister 

Here's mine:

Dear Minister Conroy, 

I am writing to denounce you & your appalling govt's inaction on Fairy Creek & FAILURE to follow through on promises to fully implement all recommendations from the Old Growth Strategic Review, as an urgent priority in your mandate.    

So few of our iconic, important old-growth forests remain due to clearcutting/ over-logging & egregious clearcutting which has had DISASTROUS results due to the devastation wrought by clearcut logging of whole ecosystems (including the hundreds of species of biodiversity that depend on these forests for survival, many of which are now critically endangered)..

Clear evidence of this needless destruction has been exposed this summer by dangerous -- & PREVENTABLE -- wildfires that continue to burn, despite all efforts to control them..

AS your Old-Growth Strategic Review Panel advised well over a year ago, BC desperately needs a new paradigm for forest mgmt. implemented NOW to avoid an even deadlier fire season next year!?

Without immediate action, not enough will be left to sustain the web of life as we know it & support a diverse economy.  

Last year's election made it VERY clear that the majority of BC citizens want to protect endangered Old-Growth forests before it is too late!  And the majority of us are strongly opposed to the shameful bullying & violence of the RCMP against peaceful defenders in the ancient Fairy Creek stand - despite the injunction granted to Teal Jones (in bad faith & against your govt's stated intentions for our precious forests) as well as overwhelming public support for our heroic Fairy Creek forest defenders..   

The deadlines from your expert O-G Panel have long passed, thanks to your wilful refusal to act on your party's promises, but WE cannot forget our dedicated friends who know the priceless value of these forests --ALIVE NOT LOGGED-- & remain determined to protect them from destructive, greedy & unethical logging corps.

Equally heinous is federal govt's ongoing refusal to intervene on behalf of the Species At Risk which Canada's constitution expressly delineates responsibility to prevent their extinction!!?  At this rate, under your mismanagement, we are set to lose the valuable benefits -- incl. essential habitat provision, C02 sequestration at unequaled capacities, water purification & other essential services -- that only these primary forests can effectively provide.

Allowing these few Old-Growth ecosystems to be exploited, knowing their wealth lies in their preservation (i.e. preventing them from being logged), is akin to violating Canada's constitution -- which YOU can rectify & upgrade by implementing legislated protection for all Old-Growth forests in BC. 

Please Minister, do your job & turn around the fate of our beloved forests & the lifeforms --flora & fauna-- they support.  Shrinking into the background hoping this urgent issue will disappear is what only a coward would do:  Surely you have the knowledge of the requirements of your privileged position to know that banning Old-Growth logging is the ONLY solution with any merit -- along with its assurance of a hopeful future for our kids, the next-gen recipients of results from your actions today.

Please do the right thing & resolve this matter for the best interests of BCers:   legislate protection for all remaining BC Old-Growth & commit at least $1 billion to implement the 14 recommendations, provide funding for Indigenous-led conservation solutions & support transition for forestry-dependent communities.

Time is of the essence.

Thank you very much for taking action -- your immediate intervention will be a proud moment in your career, one in which you can claim a groundbreaking part on the right side of history!!?

But you need to act now to make this happen -- for the health & wellbeing of our communities, for salmon habitat, for essential carbon storage, for tourism jobs & to help defend our communities from fires, flooding & other worsening impacts of climate change. Considering all that BCers have endured of late, it's the least you & your govt. can do to lift some of the worry from our present outlooks!!?

These big, rare old trees are vital to our resilience in the face of climate change - please don't let down our kids' hope for a thriving future!  We're counting on you, because you were appointed to protect these living elders:  a grave responsibility, & one which you should not take lightly.

(Our future health - & that of our sustaining ecosystems/ 'Lungs of the North', without which we are nothing - relies on your urgent action today..)

Sincerely, 

SARAH (SAZ) CHESTERMAN

Vancouver, BC

CC: Premier John Horgan and Minister of State for Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Nathan Cullen