BC Extends Old-Growth Deferral in the Fairy Creek Watershed

On Wednesday, BC announced that it has approved a legal order to extend temporary protections in the Fairy Creek watershed until September 30, 2026. The extension applies to the same forest lands as those deferred in June 2021.

The Fairy Creek deferral protects almost 1,200 hectares, which is all the Crown land in the Fairy Creek watershed. The entire watershed falls within the Pacheedaht First Nation’s territory.

Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar said, “I am working to put people and communities back at the heart of forestry. True, lasting, and meaningful reconciliation begins with partnering and working with First Nations. Together, we can build a strong, robust and sustainable forest sector for the next 100 years.”

These temporary protections will allow discussions on the long-term management of the Fairy Creek watershed to continue in partnership with Pacheedaht First Nation, the province said. This action is consistent with government’s commitments to reconciliation and to protecting British Columbia’s oldest and rarest forest ecosystems.

Work continues province-wide with First Nations rights and title holders to take unprecedented action to protect old-growth forests. Since the release of the 2020 Old Growth Strategic Review, action has been taken on all 14 of the review’s recommendations, which are highlighted in the 2024 update From Review to Action.

A key part of the province’s old-growth strategy is forest landscape planning (FLP) tables. FLP tables provide vital opportunities for collaborative Indigenous and provincial government leadership in forest planning and meaningful engagement with local communities and stakeholders, ensuring local interests are addressed in forest management.

Fifteen FLP projects are underway throughout the province, at various stages of development. Last month, BC announced open houses for engagement on the Bulkley-Morice FLP, which are ongoing in the Skeena region.