B.C. Ministry of Forests Releases Strategic Review Entitled “A New Future for Old Forests”

British Columbia’s Ministry of Forests on Saturday (9-11-21) released the government mandated old growth strategic review, entitled “A New Future for Old Forests.” It was written by two retired foresters, Garry Merkel and Al Gorley, who spent months touring the province talking to stakeholders about how the trees, some more than 1,000 years old, should be logged and protected.

The review made 14 recommendations that, if realized, would usher in a new era of forestry in the province. It would be a system of sustainable logging where value is placed on healthy ecosystems rather than the timber.

When the review was made public, the government announced logging deferrals in the province for around 197,000 hectares of old growth in nine areas deemed to be at-risk eco-systems. The deferrals are meant to protect trees and ecosystems until the province can put in place new forestry rules. A New Future for Old Forests does not call for a province-wide moratorium on old growth logging.

The province, in a statement coinciding with the release of the review said, “Our government will continue to work with all our partners to do this — we owe it to our kids and grandkids.”