BC Provides Update on Old-Growth Conservation

On Tuesday, the BC Government released an update on work underway in response to the 14 recommendations made by an independent panel in a 2020 review of BC’s old forests.

It also outlined the next steps as the province and First Nations—alongside the forestry sector, workers, and communities—take action to better care for forests, provide stability for forestry communities, and address challenges associated with climate change and wildfires.

Progress includes the following:

• Establishing the $1-billion Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation (the Nature Agreement)
• Making sure forestry communities get more local jobs for every tree harvested, including by boosting made-in-BC wood manufacturing
• Improving the work on the ground through better mapping, data, and knowledge sharing

Additionally, through Forest Landscape Plans (FLPs) the province is ensuring local values drive decisions on the land base, including those related to forest resilience, wildfire prevention, economic development, and community well-being. Nine FLPs are underway, with more to be announced in the future. They will be developed in partnership with First Nations, and through engagement with communities and people affected, local knowledge and values can be incorporated into the management of entire ecosystems.

The province has made significant progress on the 14 recommendations from the old-growth strategic review (A New Future for Old Forests), with the understanding that it will take years to achieve the full intent of some of the recommendations. First Nations, local governments, people, and businesses in BC will be essential partners in this work.

Further updates on progress will continue as government builds on the strides taken with First Nations partners and industry.