B.C. Government Halts Logging Planned for Critical Habitat for Endangered Caribou Herd

Following criticism from conservation groups, scientist and the public, the B.C. government has announced that they are stepping back from their initial plans to log a critical habitat for an endangered caribou herd in an old-growth valley north of Revelstoke. In preparation for logging, BC Timber Sales has already put in a five-kilometer road through the old-growth cedar and hemlock forest around Argonaut Creek, one of the last remaining unlogged valleys in the area. Tyler Hooper, public affairs officer for the Ministry of Forests, confirmed that the government has suspended harvesting operations in the Argonaut drainage in response to concerns about planned logging and road building. Hooper went onto say that the suspension will “allow for further assessments about how harvesting activities might affect caribou in this area,” Hooper said in an emailed response to questions. “This assessment is ongoing and no further timber harvest activities will occur in the area while the assessment is underway. Adding that the government will continue to monitor the caribou population near the Argonaut drainage as part of caribou herd recovery efforts.