Old-growth forests store 2-3 times more carbon per hectare than the ensuing second-growth tree plantations but are still threatened by logging in BC.

Searching for the ‘sweet spot’ in the carbon debate

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In the recent global climate talks in Cancun, Mexico this past December, then Federal Minister of Environment, John Baird, said that conserving and managing our forests sustainably is “one of the most inexpensive ways to combat global warming and to see carbon reductions.” 

The valuable contribution intact forests make in conserving natural carbon stores to help in the fight against climate change has been largely overlooked in BC. Like a bank account that can store carbon away for hundreds of years, the service of keeping carbon in the ground and out of the atmosphere, is provided free of charge by our intact forests. When forests are logged, the carbon-rich soils, forest floor, and woody biomass release much of that stored carbon into the atmosphere.

The British Columbia Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report 2008 reveals that logging and slash burning – although not officially included in the accounting — were responsible for 63,246,000 tons (gross) of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions. This is higher than the total greenhouse gas emissions from BC’s entire energy sector for that year — including emissions from road transportation, and fossil fuel and manufacturing industries.

Most climate change experts and conservation organizations, and a growing number of corporations and communities, agree that meeting robust targets to reduce greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, as soon as possible, must be a societal priority. For many companies and communities, it will take time to reduce carbon- and other greenhouse gas-intensive infrastructure. Fortunately, BC’s coastal and other primary forests store vast amounts of carbon for us now, when we need it, not decades into the future, such as when seedlings grow into trees.

High quality forest conservation carbon offsets are one financial tool that can prevent emissions of tremendous amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, thereby helping in the fight against global climate change. Used strategically, if the areas conserved are large enough and form part of a broad conservation network, these offset projects also have the potential to help protect species such as the grizzly, salmon, and birds as they struggle to survive the impacts of a changing climate. In addition, economic benefits from the sale of truly high quality forest conservation offsets flow to landowners or communities — including First Nations — which can improve human well-being and provide a conservation-based economic alternative to land degradation.

Forest offsets for carbon emissions, and carbon offsets generally, can be a greenwash marketing strategy if not coupled with concurrent measures to make ever-increasing and real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Added to that, there are ‘good’ projects that meet the intended objectives and there are others that fall flat, giving all carbon offset projects a bad rap. This is why it’s incredibly important to recognize and support ‘good’ projects. For that, we need to have standards for carbon offsets that are rigorous – so that we can trust the projects and help the climate.

BC has some of the world’s most carbon-rich forests – one needn’t look farther than western Vancouver Island and all along BC’s emerald coastline. If BC can find the “sweet spot” wherein species habitat and the ecosystem services that ensure our survival – such as natural carbon storage — can be protected, and wherein conservation of more forest can provide alternate, revenue streams for community well-being, shouldn’t that be of great interest to all British Columbians? The Tofino District Council and the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce — both of which exist and operate within the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — have recently sent in letters of support for forest carbon offset projects that conserve intact forests.

The deadline for the BC Ministry of Environment to receive public comments on the draft Forest Carbon Offset Protocol is fast-approaching. It is important that they establish rigorous standards for all forest offset projects that result in ‘real’ avoided or reduced emissions, or in robust greenhouse gas removals, and at minimum, do not cause net environmental harm.

Marlene Cummings is the BC Forest Campaigner with ForestEthics, and has a Master of Science in Environmental Planning from the University of British Columbia.

Link to original article: https://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/communityofinterest/archive/2011/01/27/searching-for-the-sweet-spot-in-the-carbon-debate.aspx

Ban Raw Log Exports filmmakers Travis Stock

The Death Of A Sawmill

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The tenth anniversary of closure of Timberwest’s Youbou sawmill — and its economic and family fallout — will be discussed during tomorrow’s Eye-Opener Film Series in Duncan.

The Cowichan Citizens’ Coalition will screen the documentaries Stump To Dump, and Raw Log Exports made by Lake Cowichan Secondary School students.

Discussion will involve Youbou Timberless Society members, plus Ken Wu and T.J. Watt of the Ancient Forest Alliance.

YTS, the Tree-Huggers and Tree-Cutters Alliance, and the Citizens’ Coalition were formed after protests about the mill’s demise on Jan. 26, 2001.

It was allowed shut by Victoria after then-forests minister, Dave Zirnhelt, signed a document that removed Clause 7 linking Timberwest’s annual allowable cut to keeping the mill open.

The mill’s closure tossed some 220 workers out of jobs, sparking seven years of failed court challenges by the YTS.

Bitterness of the closure still simmers among YTS members and local families.

In the 2006 24-minute Ban Raw Log Exports, filmmakers Brent Rayner and buddies Travis Stock, Reece Docherty and Cody Lawson express their anger about what they see as corporate mismanagement of Crown timber, and raw-log exports allowed by Victoria while wood-manufacturing jobs go begging.

“The Liberals aren’t listening,” said Rayner. “They’re after the money and we’re all just numbers.”

The selective-logging fan said the 2007 disappearance of his unemployed Youbou mill-worker father, Darreld, isn’t linked to the operation’s closure.

“He wouldn’t have done that to our family.”

Stock — whose dad, Ken, works for Island Pacific Logging — said raw-log exports make no sense.

“I hope people see how our logs are sent to the states when we have families here to be employed processing those logs.”

 

Your ticket

What: Youbou mill closure films and discussion

When: Jan. 20, 7 p.m.

Where: Duncan United Church, Ingram Street

Tickets: By donation. Call 250-701-1682

Ken James of the Youbou TimberLess Society (YTS)

The closure of the Youbou Sawmill, 10 years later

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 The closure of the Youbou sawmill 10 years ago and the resulting formation of the historically important environmentalist and forestry workers alliance, the Tree-Huggers and Tree-Cutters Alliance are being commemorated by activists this week.

The Youbou TimberLess Society (YTS) will be hosting a film screening of their documentary videos Stump to Dump, and Log Exports, produced by Lake Cowichan Secondary School students, at the Duncan United Church Hall, Jan 20, at 7 p.m.

A discussion with YTS members and Ken Wu and TJ Watt of the Ancient Forest Alliance will follow.

“The closure of the Youbou sawmill in 2001 because TimberWest wanted to export raw logs instead of processing them in the community set the stage for a historically important alliance between the workers and environmentalists, who both opposed the mill’s closure and the export of raw logs to foreign mills,” states Ken James, President of the Youbou TimberLess Society.

“Who knew it would have set the stage for a much larger cooperation between environmentalists and forestry workers?”

“Ken James, Roger Wiles, Darreld Rayner, and the whole Youbou TimberLess Society crew are seriously historically important figures for the betterment of this province,” states Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director. “Prior to them coming on board, environmentalists and forestry workers were typically pitted against each other, often in extreme conflicts, while the forest companies went laughing to the bank with profits from liquidating our endangered ancient forests and eliminating BC milling jobs.”

On January 26, 2001, TimberWest closed its Youbou sawmill on the shores of Lake Cowichan.

This move threw 220 workers into unemployment.

The company claimed the mill was unprofitable; a claim contested by many, and upon its closure subsequently continued to log at breakneck speeds while exporting the unprocessed logs to US and Asian sawmills. TimberWest is the largest exporter of raw logs from BC.

A few months before the mill’s closure, sawmill worker Ken James and environmentalist Ken Wu (at the time the executive director of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee’s- WCWC- Victoria chapter, now with the Ancient Forest Alliance) were invited to speak together at a forum at the BC Government Employees Union building in downtown Victoria to an audience of a hundred forestry workers and environmentalists.

The two groups found much in common in their perspectives to end raw log exports and to ensure a sustainable second-growth forest industry.

Subsequently, the two groups started to attend and speak at each other’s rallies and events.

The cooperation between the Youbou TimberLess Society and the Victoria WCWC paved the way for further cooperation between environmentalists and the Pulp, Paper, and Woodworkers of Canada (PPWC) union in Nanaimo and Crofton on Vancouver Island, led by Arnie Bercov, and forestry workers with the Save Our Valley Alliance (SOVA) in Port Alberni.

Environmentalists also started to work on specific projects and speak at events with the United Steelworkers (USW) union, BC’s main logging union, which took over the International Woodworkers of America IWA union around the same time, and with the Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers (CEP) union, against increasing raw log exports and the deregulation of the forest industry through the so-called Forestry Revitalization Act in 2004.

“The cooperation between environmentalists and forestry workers that we pioneered has dismantled much of the ‘jobs versus the environment’ framing of BC’s forestry debate,” states Ken James.

“Today, the vast majority of people support saving jobs and the environment by protecting our last old-growth forests on Vancouver Island, ensuring sustainable second-growth forestry, and ending the export of raw logs to foreign mills.

The only problem is the BC government still doesn’t get it. But they will have to, not long from now,” states Ken Wu.

Link to original article: https://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/lakecowichangazette/business/113969939.html

Ancient Forest Alliance

VIDEO: Victoria Community TV Presents: Face to Face with Avatar Grove

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We are joined by Ken Wu and TJ Watt from The Ancient Forest Alliance, along with some great images of this magnificent old growth forest.

We also talk about ‘the big picture’ of saving what is left of BC’s old growth forests, and the threats that still face it today.

You can watch the video on cable television as well:

On Channel 11 – In Victoria and Saltspring Island

Saturday, Jan. 15 at 11AM and 11:30PM

Sunday Jan 16 at 10AM and 9PM

Unfortunately, the link to the video from ICTV Victoria on Vimeo doesn’t exist anymore.

 

Interview with TJ Watt – Photographer and Environmentalist

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Please follow this link to read the interview and see the photographs: https://dondenton.ca/2011/01/11/tj-watt-interview/

 

 

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Example of spectacular temperate rainforest on Vancouver Island contrasted with nearby logging of old-growth forest.

Poor BC Logging Practices "add to gas emissions"

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Massive emissions of greenhouse gases are coming from BC’s coastal forests because of poor logging practices and inadequate management, according to a new report by environmentalists.

The carbon from coastal rainforests, much of which comes from Vancouver Island, is not counted in BC’s official emissions tally as, at the international level, Canada and the provinces decided against including forests.

If they were included, emissions numbers for BC would increase by 24 per cent, said Jens Wieting, coastal forests campaigner for Sierra Club BC and author of the group’s report, “Restoring the Balance for Climate and Species.”

“These emissions are not caused by the mountain pine beetle or large fires, as in other parts of BC. They are mainly produced by inadequate logging practices and insufficient management, and it’s time for that to change,” Wieting said.

Coastal rainforests have the ability to store massive amounts of carbon, which should make them a key asset in the fight against global warming, he said.

“We are throwing away a tremendous opportunity and our best defence against climate change.”

Clearcutting in old-growth forests, that have accumulated carbon for thousands of years, is pushing species to extinction, Wieting said.

Vancouver Island has the most forest ecosystems at a very high risk for species extinction and the lowest level of overall protection — only 13.2 per cent — he said.

Making matters worse, about 45 per cent of the 42,000 hectares of new Vancouver Island Old Growth Management Areas, although a step in the right direction, consists of poor- productivity ecosystems, Wieting said.

“Vancouver Island belongs in the ICU [intensive care unit]. It is in the worst shape with the risk of species extinction and protection of productive ecosystems,” he said.

New areas off-limits to logging are not chosen on the basis of ecosystems with the highest risk for species extinction and only six per cent would meet the high productivity criteria, the report says.

Climatologist Andrew Weaver, University of Victoria Canada Research Chair in Climate Modelling and Analysis, said the report underlines the need to think about the bigger picture when it comes to forest plans.

“The Sierra Club is absolutely spot-on that forests are a huge potential source and potential sink of carbon and it’s a lot better to use them as a sink rather than turning them into a source,” he said.

Weaver said he does not know whether it is feasible for carbon emissions from forests to be included in Canada’s reports to the international community on greenhouse gas emissions, a recommendation of the report. “But what matters is not the UN bookkeeping perspective, it’s the climate care perspective. … The atmosphere doesn’t really care how you account for carbon, it cares about what goes up,” he said.

Other recommendations in the report include shaping forest policy around using forests as carbon sinks. To do that there must be increased conservation, improved forest management and measures to reduce the risks of fire and pests, it says.

Old-growth forest clearcut new Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island

Certification fails to protect B.C. forests

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In response to increasing public outcries over his complete mismanagement of forests in the public interest, Forest Minister Pat Bell is frequently taking refuge behind forest certification programs. But are third-party stamps of approval really, as Bell claims, a guarantee that our forests — a trillion-dollar publicly owned asset — are being managed sustainably?

To date, some 54 million hectares (98 per cent) of British Columbia’s Crown forestland have been certified by one of three bodies.

Two industry-funded programs — the Canadian Standards Association and Sustainable Forest Initiative — between them account for 51.5 million hectares, while the third, more autonomous Forest Stewardship Council’s (FSC) certifications apply to 2.6 million hectares.

Companies seek certification for obvious reasons. It provides them with marketing eco-labels for buyers who might otherwise boycott their products if not assured that the wood comes from sustainably managed forests.

All three certification bodies purport to assure foreign markets that forest practices are regulated and the laws obeyed.

But what does this actually mean? Certification is only as good as the laws, regulations and operating policies governing forest use in B.C. After a decade of deregulation of forest management, legislation has been rendered weak, timber-centric and ineffective at protecting other forest values.

All three programs also suggest that B.C.’s forestlands are actively managed, with a strong, consistent role played by the provincial Forest Service and in particular B.C.’s chief forester. As well, the certifiers claim that the province’s wealth of biological diversity is conserved.

But dig just a little into such claims and questions soon arise.

First, forest companies annually cut about one per cent of forestland for which they are legally held responsible to replant or reforest.

This leaves government responsible for the lion’s share of forest management on almost all Crown forestland. Some 70 management units cover the forested area of B.C. of which 37 are timber supply areas (TSAs) and 33 are tree farm licences (TFLs). Yet not one government-managed TSA currently has even a forest management plan.

Second, B.C.’s chief forester, who is responsible for setting sustainable logging rates in all 70 management units every five years, uses a forest inventory that is outdated, incomplete, unreliable and grossly underfunded, and for which Bell and his cabinet colleagues must take responsibility due to their continued cutting of forest management staff (1,006 in the past decade) and budgets.

Third, on the biological diversity front, an inadequate patchwork of laws and policies has, according to the David Suzuki Foundation, placed more than 1,900 (43 per cent) of the province’s 4,373 species at risk of extinction or extirpation, leaving B.C. one of the few jurisdictions in Canada without stand-alone legislation to protect biodiversity.

If any doubt remains about Bell’s assertion that certification ensures sound forest management, consider as well that all three certification bodies accept a system of forest management in B.C. that relies completely on:

– A computer model, largely unverified beyond research plots, of how trees grow and how much timber they will yield over time that doesn’t adequately take into account that trees die naturally, even in “healthy” plantations;

– Little or no midterm monitoring to see how many planted or reforested trees have survived and are yielding the timber they are projected to (Note: FSC does require monitoring); and

– An outdated forest inventory that fails to report properly the extent of forestland in the province insufficiently stocked with trees following logging activities, forest fires or insect attacks — an area that may now amount to nine million hectares, or three Vancouver Islands in size.

In short, we have a poor handle on what is in our forest warehouse and at the worst of times — as if we were Future Shop on the eve of Boxing Day, with no clear idea of how many computers and widescreen TVs we had in stock. Take another box store, Ikea, and ask why it doesn’t buy B.C. forest products.

With wholly inadequate forest health monitoring in light of climate change, a disbanded forest research branch, a pathetic tree-planting program (relative to the area of insufficiently reforested land), a negligible stand-tending program, one remaining growth-and-yield forester for the province, and a forest inventory program in name only, on what basis do the three certification bodies assure foreign buyers of our forest products that B.C.’s forests are sustainably managed?

And how much longer can Bell keep up the pretence that “we have some of the best forest practices in the world”? That claim might have held true for the last decade of the last century, but today it has become a hollow echo from the past in the dark tunnel of deceit.

So what are the leadership candidates’ positions — both B.C. Liberal and New Democrat — on forestry and the environment, and how will they restore the public interest to both files and put the supernatural back into British Columbia?

Anthony Britneff recently retired from a 39-year career with the B.C. Forest Service where he held senior positions in the inventory, silviculture and forest health programs.

Link to original article: https://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Certification+fails+protect+forests/4001831/story.html#ixzz1A8crfyqM

"Canada's gnarliest tree" grows in Avatar Grove

No Charlie Brown Tree

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O’ Christmas tree! O’ Christmas tree! Thy status is so precarious—at least if you’re the gnarly old beauty celebrating your one-year birthday in Avatar Grove. But this season isn’t just a time to celebrate: it’s time to get serious about conservation efforts, according to the Ancient Forest Alliance.

“The grove really is the Christmas gift that keeps on giving. Protect it for generations to come, and you’ll be aiding everything from the tourism industry to first nations groups, the environment and more. Cut it down, and you’ll have to wait another 1,000 years to have a chance at something this powerful again,” says the alliance’s TJ Watt.

Watt, who originally found the site while hiking with a friend, has since joined other members in helping with the campaign by taking photos and leading hikes to the area. He says it’s a great relief to see the infamous gnarled tree still standing after one year, but knows the grove isn’t out of the woods yet—literally. Currently, the section of crown land is still zoned as tree farm 46 log-able property, despite the fact that the public, advocates and politicians have called on the B.C. Liberals to adjust the land use orders to protect the area.

“Right now, with all the changes in government for both the NDP and Liberals, we have a fantastic opportunity for seeing some real progressive policies on all sides,” says Ken Wu, alliance head and long-time enviro-advocate. “If Avatar Grove falls, rest assured we’ll make sure the BC Liberals do too. The community is behind this, and we’re all calling for its protection—now, even more than before.”

To check out the grove yourself, hop on board a tour in the new year: staging.ancientforestalliance.org

Link to original article: https://mondaymag.com/articles/entry/the-week-december-23/

CRD Director Mike Hicks and son

Avatar hopes high in Port Renfrew chamber

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It’s been a year since an area known as Avatar Grove, near Port Renfrew, has become more widely known.

To mark the first anniversary of the discovery of the groves by the Ancient Forest Alliance (AFA), the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce is adding its voice to the chorus calling for the grove’s long-term preservation.

The grove has been the subject of a couple of features in the Sooke News Mirror, most recently, a front-page placing on the October 6, 2010 issue. On that occasion a reporter was along for the ride with the AFA’s TJ Watt and Ken Wu, plus the MLA for Juan de Fuca, John Horgan and CRD Juan de Fuca Regional Director Mike Hicks for a tour of the grove.

The AFA has since planned a monthly schedule of tours to introduce more people to the location where giant cedar, fir and spruce trees dwell. A place the AFA is determined to preserve.

The grove is only minutes from the Village of Port Renfrew – proximity the local Chamber president feels is an important and valuable local asset.

Over and above an existing desire to see the trees spared from the chainsaw, Betsworth feels they are a draw for visitors, and can grow in that capacity.

“Avatar could be the difference between Port Renfrew surviving or not,” she said on December 18.

“Right now we’re dealing with problems in our fishing industry… with cutbacks in salmon and halibut quotas. We went through that last year and it’s not looking very good for this coming year. That’s a trickle down effect – leading to less accommodations needed, fewer restaurant visits. In my opinion keeping Avatar Grove alive, as well as the rest of our hiking trails and surfing, could be our saviour.”

The Ancient Forest Alliance is calling on the B.C. government to protect remaining old growth forests.

See original article bclocalnews.com/sookenewsmirror

Hikers gather around the largest alien shaped cedar in the Lower Avatar Grove

Island’s own Avatar Grove to open near Port Renfrew

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Anyone yearning for a walk on the wild side will have an opportunity to take a hike in Avatar Grove, near Port Renfrew next year.

The 50-hectare stand of old-growth forest — dubbed Avatar Grove, after the popular movie, by members of the Ancient Forest Alliance who discovered the grove of huge, gnarly trees last year — can be difficult to find without guidance.
So, in hopes of increasing public interest in saving the area from logging, the group is planning monthly public hikes to the grove, starting in January.
Meanwhile, the Port Renfrew Chamber of Commerce has repeated its call for protection of the old-growth stand.
“Since the name Avatar Grove was first uttered, we have seen tourist numbers increase and that means exposure for Port Renfrew and tourist dollars spent,” said Chamber of Commerce president Rosie Betsworth.
Surrey-based Teal Jones Group has cutting rights in the area. It’s hasn’t applied for a cutting permit and part of the grove is in an old-growth management area, meaning no cutting is allowed.
However, the forest alliance wants further protection through a legislated provincial conservancy, said campaigner T.J. Watt.