Is ecological restoration a lost cause?

[Evergreen Alliance Staff]

Herb Hammond recently recommended a presentation by Dr Jeff Werner of UNBC: In defense of lost causes? Ecosystem health, ecological restoration & forest policy in the age of uncertainty.

Herb says:

"There is much discussion about forest health these days. Recommendation #2 of the 'Old Growth Strategic Review' (OGSR) states:  'Declare conservation of ecosystem health and biodiversity of British Columbia's forests as an overarching priority and enact legislation that legally establishes this priority for all sectors.'

Here is a link to an excellent talk about the meaning of forest health by Dr. Jeff Werner at UNBC:

https://video.unbc.ca/id/0_ktcrorj5?width=608&height=402&playerId=23449242

(Jeff's presentation begins around the 9:40 mark.)

As the title implies, Jeff not only discusses forest health, but also explains the variables and uncertainties that surround ecological restoration.  

While the government continues to be slow in implementation of the OGSR, we can all be sure that they are 'consulting' with their timber industry partners to be sure that a new paradigm emerges that provides a definition of forest health that does not 'unduly limit the supply of timber from British Columbia.'

Thus, I encourage all of you to watch Jeff's talk and then to contact government in support of a science-based definition of forest health.  Probably good to include the needed definition of forest health, as 'science-based' alone does not ensure a good definition.

Thanks for attending to this important topic."

Herb