This issue is pitting environmentalists against the local First Nation, as the company doing the logging, Snaw-Naw-As Forest Services Ltd, is aboriginal-owned. But conservationists were shocked to learn in the BC Supreme Court on November 25th that the First Nation already had a buyer lined up to purchase the logs - TimberWest. We wonder how buying wood from a red-listed forest will affect TimberWest's SFI certification?
Since learning that the logs are being purchased by TimberWest, a petition has been started. This petition is being sent to local lumber retailers, who should know this wood is from a RED-LISTED forest in an endangered ecosystem, as well as to TimberWest and the BC government.
The open letter to TimberWest, forwarding on some 500 signatures from the Petition protesting this travesty, also includes the information from Calvin Ross, Acting District Manager, South Island Natural Resource District, that to get the 15,000 cubic meters of the harvest Licence, the Licensee will clearcut within the cutblocks. It was our understanding that clear-cutting no longer happened in B.C.!
Logging began in earnest the week of November 28th, and the animals who live in this beautiful old forest began to run in fear. An elusive herd of eight Roosevelt elk were captured on video by a concerned neighbour, who along with everybody desperately appealing to the government to preserve this special forest, is devastated it is actually happening NOW.
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When world renowned biologist and conservationist Wayne McCrory heard of the destruction of DL33 which provided winter habitat for Roosevelt Elk, he assessed the situation, stating "It is my opinion that logging of old-growth, including elk winter range, of DL33 is biologically unacceptable and unconscionable..." and decided to come to the Island to see for himself. He has been involved in protecting over one million acres of parkland!, valuable habitat for wildlife. On Friday January 13th he was at the Qualicum Beach Civic Center with a multi-media presentation featuring his personal experiences and advocacy work for habitat protection for Spirit Bears, Grizzly Bears and other wildlife. More than 400 interested citizens also heard a presentation on DL33, presided over by Briony Penn, and participated in a live auction. The highlight of the auction was an 8 day trip to the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest on the Great Bear II 54 foot Motor Yacht, with a value of $4500. This is a once in a lifetime experience into one of B.C.'s most pristine wilderness areas, and was generaously donated by Ocean Adventures Charter Co. Ltd. Admission is by donation with proceeds going to the Valhalla Wilderness Society. |
For almost two years, residents and conservation groups staved off the chainsaws but time ran out!
On the morning of November 9th, the first veteran hit the ground with a terrific thunk. Those of us present to hear are heartbroken. We have tried everything from bringing two Forest Practices Board complaints, a formal complaint to the ABCFP, applications for DL33 as a Wildlife Habitat Area, resolutions from the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities, pleas to the Forests Minister and the Premier - all to no avail.
We were a small group, but on November 9th, as we found ourselves inside the falling area, amongst the screaming chainsaws and horrific sounds of large trees hitting the ground, the logging contractor decided to call it a day. Word spread and the next day a larger group turned up to show their support for preserving DL33, and again logging operations stopped.
For the next few days these mushroom pickers in DL33 prevented the further destruction of this magnificent forest, but the Supreme Court of B.C. on November 25, 2011, approved an injunction and enforcement order against these activities.
CHLY Podcast December 13, 2011 - Listen to an indepth hour long interview on DL33 with Changes host Chantelle Colsen and guests Annette Tanner, Wilderness Committee mid-Island Chapter, and Kathy McMaster on CHLY Community Radio.
Anne Sherrod, Chair of the Valhalla Wilderness Society, wrote an interesting commentary in the Straight.com Nanoose Bay logging strips green veneer off of TimberWest and Long Hoh, which addresses these companies' claims of sustainable logging.
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There is a beautiful forest on the west side of the highway in Nanoose Bay, B.C. - 160 acres (64 hectares) of Crown Land called DL33, for which our government issued a cutting licence to the Nanoose First Nations.
After being undisturbed for the last 90 or so years, and being identified as among the rarest ecosystems in the world, this special forest is being logged. It is like an oasis in the desert since the sensitive ecosystem all around it, being on private land, has been clearcut for miles.
Less than 9 percent of this precious ecosystem is on fragmented parcels of Crown land. The government has the power to protect it. And yet it has decided to protect only a few parcels totalling 1600 hectares under the recent Land Use Order, and has capped CDF lands with some protection at 6%. Beautiful forests like DL33 will cease to exist.
This ecosystem occurs mostly in B.C.'s Georgia Basin with a little in Washington State's San Juan Islands. It is said to comprise only 0.3% of B.C.'s total land base and is considered one of the four most endangered ecosystems in Canada.
In 2005 the Conservation Data Center (CDC) identified 20 red-listed plant communities in the CDFmm as either “critically imperiled” or “imperiled” which means they are at very high, or high, risk of extinction. By 2007 this number was increased to 29 and its primary plant association was internationally classified as “globally imperiled”. It is now up to 35.
In spite of this, the B.C. Ministry of Forests and Range apparently deemed the value of the timber to be higher than the value of this endangered ecosystem, and in November of 2009 issued a licence to log this land.
A Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory was carried out in 1997 and updated in 2004, by the Canadian Wildlife Service (Environment Canada), the BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (Conservation Data Centre and Vancouver Island Regional Office) - now the Ministries of Sustainable Resource Management and Water, Land and Air Protection, with contributions from many others.
DL33 was identified as being endangered and sensitive to disturbance, and has three sensitive ecosystems - wetland: both swamp and standing water, older forest: coniferous, and second growth: coniferous. The inventory states that some of the plant and animal species are found only on east Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands and that these ecosystems are among the rarest in the province.
This inventory states: “Within 20 years, many of the Second Growth Forests that were logged early this century will become Older Forests. The biodiversity values of second growth forest generally become higher with age. This means it will be able to sustain more and larger species of plants and animals.”
The report can be found at http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/sei/van_gulf/index.html and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Mapping of the CDFmm can be found at http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/acat/public/viewReport.do?reportId=15273
There are extensive wetlands in DL33, including swamps, standing water, vernal pools and creeks. Casper Creek, a tributary of Nanoose Creek, provides important water flow and nutrients for the rearing of wild salmon, both coho and chum. The upper reaches of the creek contain resident cutthroat trout and many forms of aquatic life, while wild coho and wild chum spawn within the lower reaches.
The Nanoose Streamkeepers Society considers DL33, as the only intact watershed on any tributary of Nanoose Creek, to be an important forest and believes logging will further degrade the overall health of Nanoose Creek. The Streamkeepers have been actively working to protect and restore this important wild salmon habitat for the benefit of the greater community, and view the logging of this crown land as a step backwards in their efforts.
We also have been told that 1 hectare of wetland can hold up to 9 million liters of water and that this forest is like a giant sponge. It is the watershed for area residents, who depend on wells for their water.
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The Ministry of Forests signed off on the cut permit on December 22nd, 2010 and on November 9th, 2011, the logging began.
On June 17th, 2010 the Forest Practices Board, B.C.'s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, released its report on the “Conservation of Imperiled Coastal Douglas-fir Ecosystem” and found “...that the Province did not meet its commitment to defer issuing new forest tenures until its stewardship stragegy was in place” and stated:
“In the Board's opinion, harvesting mature or old forest in the CDF, such as that found in good condition on DL33, is not consistent with a vision of overall ecosystem integrity.”
This means unless the government makes other choices, the CDFmm ecosystem will go extinct.
Minister Bell was quoted in the Parksville Qualicum Beach local paper as believing this to be a “difference of opinion” among biologists, however he said he was reviewing the Forest Practices Board report and will “come to a final decision”. Recent quotes indicate he hasn't changed his mind.
We have to stress two things. When the scientists say DL33 is in “good condition”' it means it is the best there is in the CDF. It is the BEST available conservation candidate and it is outrageous that it is threatened with harvest.
We are unable to explain the difference of opinion Minister Bell cites as no biologist has come forth and stated no harm to the ecosystem or its survival will be caused by logging DL33. We only know of ecologists who say in their professional opinion it should not be logged. Freedom of Information Requests have failed to turn up any government documents which back up Minister Bell's assertions. It appears the Ministry of Forests is unwilling to give up such valuable timber and in order to justify it, insists the best somehow isn't good enough for conservation purposes.
A final comment. Since the harvest license is held by the Nanoose First Nation and Minister Bell has stated “we've concluded it's not prime land”, does this mean the government has intentionally given inferior wood to the First Nations, as they work on court-ordered treaty negotiations? How would this help treaty negotiations move along? And if it is not inferior, why is Minister Bell insisting it is? Is it the Big Lie Theory? How stupid does he think we all are? This Alice-in-Wonderland situation would be funny if it weren't so terribly serious, with such dire consequences.
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist, was the first on November 11: First Nation's logging stopped by protest.
Then Darrell Bellaart in the Nanaimo Daily News on November 18, quoting Cpl. Terry Smith of the RCMP, addressed one of the accusations made by the Snaw-Naw-As against the local residents: Tensions start to rise in Nanoose as protesters seek to halt logging.
Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist on November 24th: First Nation loggers and protesters put their cases to court.
Darrell Bellaart in the Nanaimo Daily News on November 24th: Legal battle rages over Nanoose forest.
Brad Bird, Oceanside Star, also on November 24th: Snaw’naw’as taking ’mushroom pickers’ to court.
Brad Bird, Oceanside Star, on December 1st: Activists disheartened by order to stay out of DL33.
Brenda Gough of the PQB News on December 2nd: War of words in the woods.
Matthew Gauk, Nanaimo Daily News on December 3rd: Court injunction allows Nanoose band to work on tree lot.
Toby Gorman, Nanaimo News Bulletin on December 6th: Rare elk spotted in controversial Nanoose forest.
Oceanside Star, on December 8th: Logging in DL33 proceeding.
Brad Bird, Oceanside Star, again on December 8th: Logging part of bigger economic picture.
Brenda Gough of the PQB News on December 9th: Petition started against logging.
International Frog Day brought nature enthusiasts to DL33 to see tree frogs and the endangered red-legged frog: Frog Day Walk Finds a Forest. Oceanside Star May 5, 2011.
Public frustration over government intransigence in continuing to log Crown CDF forests such as DL33, while suggesting it is up to the public to save the CDF, dominated the government workshop in Qualicum Beach on March 25th: How many years do you expect us to fight?. Oceanside Star March 31st.
Government workshops aimed at passing stewardship of the remaining CDF forests onto the private sector while Crown CDF mature forests such as DL33 continue to be logged, brought heated response from those attending: Anger, frustration over vulnerable fir forests, writes Lissa Alexander on March 29th in The News.
Prominent environmentalist Betty Krawczyk stated at a government workshop in Qualicum Beach on March 25th that there will be civil disobedience over the logging of DL33: Change in the forests to come from grassroots, says Krawczyk according to Steven Heywood on March 29th in The News.
A public tour on New Year's Day brought out some 80 people in support of DL33, according to the Oceanside Star on January 6th: New Year's crowd resolved to continue fight for DL33.
The Nanoose First Nation has been granted approval to harvest DL33, according to Lissa Alexander's article December 31st: Logging permit issued for DL33.
The Oceanside Star advises on December 30th that the Western Canada Wilderness Committee is hosting a New Year's Day walk in DL33, for which a cut permit has been issued: Nanoose Bay forest approved for logging.
The Nanaimo Daily news on December 29th advises the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation has received approval to log DL33: Disputed lot can be logged.
Approval of the cut permit for DL33 is expected within the week, according to the Oceanside Star on December 16th: Logging permit said pending.
Western Wilderness Canada Committee will resume guided public tours of DL33 again this weekend, according to Lissa Alexander's article October 8th: Tours of besieged Nanoose Bay forest start this weekend.
Lissa Alexander of the PQB News notes on October 5th that the cutting permit application is complete and expected to be approved in weeks: Logging permit looms over DL33.
Underhanded tactics emanating from MLA Ron Cantelon's office are discussed in Lissa Alexander's article September 7th: Environmental group condemns Liberal office.
On August 27th Lissa Alexander of the PQB News describes a tour of DL33 by the NDP forestry critic Norm Macdonald, NDP MLA Scott Fraser and Western Canada Wilderness Committee National Campaign Director Joe Foy: Holding out hope to save lot from logging.
The Oceanside Star advises on August 26th that the Western Canada Wilderness Committee's Joe Foy "wouldn't rule out a war in the woods" over DL33: Protests loom over Nanoose forest.
Walter Cordery of the Nanaimo Daily News on August 25th quotes Brent Edwards as saying they have to “conform to every environmental regulation that anyone else has to”: Snaw'Naw'As councillor defends plans to log DL33 in Nanoose. He neglects to mention the RPBio hired by his Registered Professional Forester stated “It is my professional opinion that the stands within this licence should not be harvested.”
On August 23rd Darrell Bellaart of the Nanaimo Daily News describes a joint NDP/Western Canada Wilderness Committee tour of DL33 and states Joe Foy and Norm Macdonald have joined the fight to block logging on DL33: Fight is on to save unique Nanoose forest from logging
Lissa Alexander of The News outlines Scott Fraser's views on the government's inadequate conservation measures on August 10th: Lack of protection angers MLA
Lissa Alexander of The News writes on August 6th about the Land Use Order and Minister Bell's continuing refusal to include DL33: DL33 not protected
Walter Cordery of the Nanaimo Daily News on August 3rd comments on Bell's refusal to include DL33 in the CDF LUO: Activist disappointed Nanoose land not also in protected area
Times Colonist columnist Judith Lavoie wrote about DL33 again on July 31st in a piece about old-growth management areas: Old-growth protection boosted
Lissa Alexander of The News writes about the cover-up of a professional biologist's report on July 27th: Battle continues to save Nanoose forest
Times Colonist columnist Judith Lavoie wrote about DL33 on July 11th: Endangered forest turns into Island battleground
Lissa Alexander of The News chronicles a WCWC tour through DL33 and describes the recent controversy on July 6th: DL33: A forest runs through it
Robert Barron of the Nanaimo Daily News on July 3rd quoted Minister Bell as saying "...we've concluded it's not prime land": Nanoose band will log Crown land
Darrell Bellaart wrote a comprehensive column about DL33 on June 28th in the Nanaimo Daily News: Activist Fights to Keep Coastal Forest Intact.
Lissa Alexander of The News (Parksville Qualicum Beach)refers to the Forest Practices Board Report and offers comments by Minister Bell and the Nanoose First Nations in her June 25th article: Report may change fate of DL33.
April 16th was a sad day. On that day the Snaw'Naw'As declared they really do want to shoot the last buffalo. Read Fred Davies column.DL33 a 'logging operation' They do not seem to understand that extinct is gone, forever, and then there is no more for them, or for anyone.
Fred Davies of The News (Parksville Qualicum Beach) outlines how widespread support to preserve DL33 has become in his fourth extensive report on this issue on April 13th Controversial forest facing harvest. An emergency motion unanimously passed by the AVICC (representing 51 municipalities and regional districts on Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities) on April 11th supports preserving DL33 intact.
Stephen Hume wrote a moving and hard-hitting column about DL33 on March 19th in the Vancouver Sun: Teetering on the brink of extinction.