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Len Vanderstar

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Journalism: The over-exploitation of BC forests

Library: Destruction of wildlife habitat and loss of biodiversity

Journalism: Loss of forest-related employment

Journalism: The need to expedite final treaties with First Nations

Journalism: Loss of primary forest

Journalism: Loss of carbon sequestration capacity

Other notable forest-related writing and reports

Noteworthy writing and reports from the forest-industrial complex

Forest News

Library: The over-exploitation of BC forests

Library: Loss of primary forest

Library: Loss of the hydrological functions of forests

Make conservation of the hydrological function of forests a higher priority than timber extraction

Library: Loss of forest-related employment

Library: The need to expedite final treaties with First Nations

Transition from clearcut logging to selection logging

Library: Increase in forest fire hazard

Journalism: End public subsidization of BC's forest industry

Library: End public subsidization of BC's forest industry

Library: The need to reform BC forest legislation

Journalism: The need to reform BC forest legislation

Library: Creating a new vision for BC forests

Forest industry public subsidy calculator

Manufacturing and processing facilities

Forest Trends

Investigations

Community Forest Mapping Projects

Area-based calculations of carbon released from clearcut logging

Journalism: The increase in forest carbon emissions

Library: Increase in forest carbon emissions

To protect biodiversity, transition away from clearcut logging

Peachland Watershed Protection Alliance

Library: Loss of future employment resulting from exporting raw logs

Mapping old forest on Vancouver Island

Mapping old forest in Omineca Natural Resource Region

Mapping old forest in Skeena Natural Resource Region

Mapping old forest in Northeastern Natural Resource Region

Mapping old forest in Cariboo Natural Resource Region

Mapping old forest in South Coast Natural Resource Region

Mapping old forest in Thompson-Okanagan Natural Resource Region

Mapping old forest in Kootenay-Boundary Natural Resource Region

Forest Conservation Organizations

Mapping old forest on Haida Gwaii

Mapping old forest on the central coast

Library: Ecologically damaging practices

Journalism: Ecologically damaging practices

Critical Issues

Analysis

Comment

Listed species: Cascades Natural Resource District

Listed species: 100 Mile House Natural Resource District

Listed species: Campbell River Natural Resource District

Listed species: Cariboo-Chilcotin Natural Resource District

Listed species: Chilliwack River Natural Resource District

Listed species: Fort Nelson Natural Resource District

Listed species: Haida Gwaii Natural Resource District

Listed species: Mackenzie Natural Resource District

Listed species: Nadina Natural Resource District

Listed species: North Island Natural Resource District

Listed species: Peace Natural Resource District

Listed species: Prince George Natural Resource District

Listed species: Quesnel Natural Resource District

Listed species: Rocky Mountain Natural Resource District

Listed species: Sea-to-Sky Natural Resource District

Listed species: Selkirk Natural Resource District

Listed species: Skeena Natural Resource District

Listed species: South Island Natural Resource District

Listed species: Stuart-Nechako Natural Resource District

Listed species: Sunshine Coast Natural Resource District

Listed species: Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District

Listed species: Coast Mountains Natural Resource District

Action Group: Divestment from forest-removal companies

Fact-checking mindustry myths

First Nations Agreements

Monitor: BC Timber Sales Auctions

BC Timber Sales auction of old-growth forests on Vancouver Island

Monitoring of forest fires in clearcuts and plantations: 2021

Library: End public subsidization of forest industry

Examples of engaging the mindustry:

Portal: The over-exploitation of BC forests

Portal: The need to reform BC forest legislation

Portal: The need to expedite treaties with First Nations

Portal: The need to get more organized, informed and inspired for change

Portal: Develop a new relationship with forests

Portal: Destruction of wildlife habitat and loss of biodiversity

Portal: Loss of the hydrological functions of forests

Portal: Increase in forest fire hazard

Portal: Loss of carbon sequestration capacity

Portal: Increase in forest carbon emissions

Portal: Ecologically damaging forestry practices

Portal: Loss of forest-related employment

Portal: Loss of future employment resulting from raw log exports

Portal: Costs of floods, fires and clearcutting of watersheds

Portal: The economic impact on communities of boom and bust cycles

Portal: Loss of economic development by other forest-based sectors

Portal: The true cost of subsidies provided to the logging industry

Help

Loss of trust in institutions

Portal: The instability of communities dependent on forest extraction

Portal: The psychological unease caused by forest destruction

Portal: Loss of trust in institutions caused by over-exploitation of BC forests

Portal: Social division caused by over-exploitation of BC forests

Journalism: The instability of communities dependent on forest extraction

Journalism: Psychological unease caused by forest destruction

Journalism: Loss in trust of institutions as a result of over-exploitation of BC forests

Journalism: Social division caused by over-exploitation of BC forests

Library: The instability of communities dependent on forest extraction

Library: Psychological unease caused by forest destruction

Library: Loss of trust in institutions as a result of over-exploitation of BC forests

Library: Social division caused by over-exploitation of BC forests

Resources: Psychological unease caused by forest destruction

Resources: The economic impact on communities of boom-and-bust cycles

Resources: Loss of economic development potential in other forest-based sectors

Journalism: Cost of floods, fires and clearcutting of community watersheds

Journalism: The economic impact on communities of boom-and-bust cycles

Journalism: Loss of economic development potential in other forest-based sectors

Library: Cost of floods, fires and clearcutting of community watersheds

Library: The economic impact on communities of boom-and-bust cycles

Library: Loss of economic development potential in other forest-based sectors

Portal: Permanent loss of forests to logging roads

Portal: The economic costs of converting forests into sawdust and wood chips

Journalism: Permanent loss of forests to logging roads

Library: Permanent loss of forests to logging roads

Journalism: The economic costs of converting forests into sawdust and wood chips

Library: The economic costs of converting forests into sawdust and wood chips

Resources: The economic costs of converting forests into sawdust and wood chips

Resources: Ecologically damaging forestry practices

Resources: Conversion of forests to permanent logging roads

Library: Getting organized

Journalism: Getting organized

Forest politics

Forest Stewards

Portal: Plantation failure

Library: Plantation failure

Journalism: Plantation failure

Library: Loss of carbon sequestration capacity

Portal: Soil loss and damage

Journalism: Soil loss and damage

Library: Soil loss and damage

Resources: Soil loss and damage

Journalism: Loss of employment resulting from export of raw logs

Journalism: Destruction of wildlife habitat and loss of biodiversity

Journalism: Loss of the hydrological functions of forests

Journalism: Increase in forest fire hazard

Action Group: Sunlighting professional reliance

Making the case for much greater conservation of BC forests

Science Alliance for Forestry Transformation

Bearing witness:

Economic State of the BC Forest Sector

Big tree mapping and monitoring

Reported Elsewhere

Protect more

Start a forest conservation project

Get involved

Article reference pages

Physical impacts created by logging industry

Nature Directed Stewardship at Glade and Laird watersheds

References for: How did 22 TFLs in BC evade legal old-growth management areas?

References for: BC's triangle of fire: More than just climate change

References for: Teal Cedar goes after Fairy Creek leaders

References for: Is the draft framework on biodiversity and ecosystem health something new? Or just more talk and log?

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  1. Len Vanderstar
    Re: Draft B.C. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework In this time of a global and regional climate and biodiversity crisis, this initiative has been a long time in coming but welcomed just the same. However, the track record of the provincial NDP led government and its predecessors has been, frankly dismal, and has generated far more pessimism than optimism among the public concerned about a sustainable future. This is not the first time we have heard the phrases, in one fashion or another, that: • the “B.C. government is committed to protecting and conserving the province’s biodiversity and ecosystem health”; • the provincial government is committed “to prioritize the conservation and management of ecosystem health and biodiversity, including the conservation and recovery of species at risk”; • “Canada has committed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and formally recognizes that every Canadian has a right to a healthy environment.” Yet and repeatedly so, we have seen the opposite in the sense of putting one-foot forward, then taking two steps backward. Some examples follow: Not implementing and government distortion of habitat conservation direction of established strategic land-use plans throughout the province. The non-implementation of conservation (wildlife and habitat) legislative provisions of the Forest & Range Practices Act (FRPA) and the Wildlife Act, and the abolishment of its predecessor the Forest Practices Act (FPA). The creation of loop hole policies to circumvent the conservation intent of legislative provisions of FRPA and its predecessor FPA. The promise of a provincial species @ risk act since the Rio de Janeiro Convention on Biodiversity back in June of 1992; that is nearly 32 years ago! Continued logging of critical habitat in many areas that continue to lead to species extirpation such as the northern goshawks, spotted owls, marbled murrelets, caribou, among others. The promise for effective access management to reduce predator movement across the landscape, but with minimal progress to date while more of the land-base becomes heavily roaded as a result of forest development expansion. The talk about the 30 x 30 protected areas initiative while we witnessed the cancellation of approximately 545,000 ha of non-administered conservations lands within the Skeena Region, some of which were in process for transfer of authority from the Land Act to the Wildlife Act for long-term conservation (administered conservation lands) designation. Non-implementation of developed Decision Support Tools that effectively guide the intensity and duration of forest development in any given watershed at various spatial scales to ensure the maintenance of watershed hydrological integrity, all the while government has been continuing to talk about its goal to “consider cumulative effects & address the potential impacts of timber harvesting activities.” Treating old-growth deferral areas as business as usual logging without considering the voice of the major constituents of B.C., namely non-First Nation people. How is this going to result in adequate old-growth forest conservation when the majority of deferral areas, at least in central and northern B.C. that I am familiar with, continue to be dwindled down through forest harvesting because of provincial government’s policy to discount the deferral areas when there is no current endorsement by respective FNs, in part because they wish to have higher levels of discussion with respect to their constitutional rights? The provincial government needs to demonstrate intent to gain back some level of public trust, and not wait years of Framework development before implementation. It is time to show government’s intent by immediately: Cease all logging in big treed old growth. Abandon clear-cut logging, single or two-pass approaches; this abandonment includes clear cuts with “reserves” since they still set hydrological recovery to zero. Institute “canopy retention” forest practices within conducive biogeoclimatic zones such as Interior Cedar-Hemlock (ICH), Coastal Western Hemlock (CWH), Engelmann Spruce- Subalpine Fir (ESSF), Mountain Hemlock (MH), Montane Spruce (MS), Coastal Douglas Fir (CDF), and within multi-species stands that have a component of shade tolerant tree species that exist in the Sub-boreal Spruce (SBS) for example. Curtail all public subsidies to the bioenergy/wood pellet industry such as the grade 4 credit system and Forest Enhancement Society, of which are exacerbating the climate and biodiversity crisis. Annual accounting for carbon in our forests that include forest practices, and losses due to wildfires, insects and diseases, to effectively and truthfully report on carbon capture and release. Implement science-based decision support tools, some of which are already in existence, that support a cumulative impact framework with respect to watershed hydrological integrity at a multi-scale approach. Ensure that there is sufficient public representation on all of the planning tables that are working towards revisions to forest management direction. A Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework is not required to implement the actions cited above. The government speaks to a “collaborative stewardship approach”, but the roll-out of the Forest Landscape Planning initiative is not collaborative when public strategic plan over-sight bodies such as the Bulkley Valley Community Resources and the Kalum Plan Implementation Committee are not given a seat at the table that is strictly comprised of government, industry & First Nations (FNs). This appears to be more of a top-down approach than a bottom up collaborative approach, and from my perspective, is a path to failure. I and many others, have been lobbying for the transformation of forest practices in B.C. for many years, and the Framework’s language is most welcomed: “The Framework sets the stage for the desired transformational shift from a land management system that prioritizes resource extraction (subject to constraints) to a future that is proactive, prioritizes the conservation and management of ecosystem health and biodiversity...” However, based on my many decades of forest management and conservation in B.C., this transformative change initiative is destined to fall off the rails if the root of the issues is not effectively addressed. Simply targeting the symptoms will not achieve the desired outcome. Clearly a few things have to happen to truly make the necessary paradigm shift to create the template from which to build on: Take forest management out of the hands of the timber manufacturing industry; i.e. tenures not tied to wood processing facilities, and use management approaches such as the Alqonquin Forestry Authority & Community Forests. Foresters are clearly in a conflict of interest working for the wood processing facilities since their primary focus is on tree farming and not ecosystem-based management. Re-vamp the stumpage appraisal to create incentives and not disincentives to canopy retention forestry. Re-vamp the Timber Supply Review process to proactively consider best management practices for watershed, ecosystem and biodiversity health/integrity, inclusive of meaningful climate change considerations. Ensure that the proposed Office of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health within the B.C. Public Service has strong cabinet support and appoints a Chief Ecologist that has precedented powers and authorities over the extractive resource agencies such as the Ministry of Forests (MOF) and B.C. Timber Sales (BCTS). The organizational bias of the MOF & BCTS has and continues to be a major hinderance to meaningful forestry transformation. Have a level playing field with respect to government lobbying since companies can right off lobbing costs as part of business expenses in terms of taxation, but ENGOs that hold charitable status are severely hampered in terms of what they can spend in political lobbying under present Federal legislation. The lobby power of the of the forest industry seems to surpasses that of the constituents of British Columbia. Education and awareness are critical for initiative support. Given that both government agencies (MOF and even the Ministry of Water, Land & Resource Stewardship), and the forest industry have and are continuing to contribute to misinformation to hold the status quo, and thus contributing to social injustice, it is imperative that such misinformation is immediately challenged and corrected to be factful and truthful. This is becoming ever more challenging given the development and thus tendency of misuse of social media algorithms where the reader is subjected to material feed that further justifies their in-grained belief or cynicism, and erodes a critical thinking approach. Yours in conservation for a sustainable future, Len Vanderstar, R.P.Bio, RCGS Fellow
  2. Len Vanderstar
    What we are seeing across the province is business as usual within mapped priority old-growth deferral areas, unless the respective FN authority states otherwise within their traditional territory or a portion thereof. Exemptions are the eleven Forest Act Part 13 designated areas such as Fairy Creek. To my knowledge, at least in north-central and northwest B.C., there are minimal examples, if any, of FN authorities supporting the old-growth deferral areas at this time, due, in part, to their wishes of putting forward their land-use objectives rather than the perception of “colonial” government tabling a proposal for their decision. To make matters more complicated, a good percentage of FNs have forest licences, but continue to contract clear-cut-mentality logging companies for quick capital return. The vision/implementation of sustainable stewardship, canopy retention forestry, net-zero forestry, stand management for all valued ecosystem components alludes many of us. All of you know that we who stand for forestry transformation are supportive of traditional Indigenous values, more self-governance and long-term economic prosperity, but it appears that reconciliation in the eyes of the provincial government is more about corporate economic assimilation, and the provincial government is succeeding, despite change-over of governance parties. Where do we go from here? How about we explore the possibility of a legal challenge that could stop destructive logging from destroying valued ecosystem components based on violation of the rights of those components. We do not permit Neo-Nazi parties or the Klu Klux Clan to operate in Canada on the basis of infringement of the rights of others, so why do we permit a similar situation in "forest management"? Now that would be a precedent-setting case that could ensure that another northern goshawk territory does not blink out, that our watersheds are not a risk of loss of hydrological integrity, that the remaining fraction of productive old growth outside of protected areas is not extinguished…and the list goes on.
  3. Len Vanderstar
    This map (see screenshot below) is very good if you are keen on seeing how forest development is taking place, past, present and near future: https://www.evergreenalliance.ca/esri-map-pages/forest-tenure-cutblocks/ You can pan around the map all over BC and zoom into your area of interest, mouse click on a cutblock, and extract the block’s information. It shows that CP 714's approval date was Nov. 4, 2022, not Nov. 2021. Planning for the CP was likely happening prior to the government's announcement of the old growth deferrals, but it was known, prior to CP 714's approval, that the cutblocks overlapped the deferral areas … large trees with some prime timber according to a reliable source that ground-truthed the area. The deferrals, like most of the province, are voluntary and according to current provincial policy, can be logged if the representative First Nation either endorses the forest development (cutting permit), does not endorse the old growth deferrals, or remains silent in either supporting or not supporting the deferrals on their traditional territory. I have no idea how this works with territorial overlap disputes, which are common throughout B.C.
  4. Len Vanderstar
    I and others are distraught regarding how the Province is handling the old-growth deferrals. Cutting Permit 714, in the Babine River watershed, is an unacceptable example of old-growth deferrals not being deferred. Also, there appears to be no opportunity for public voices to be heard regarding the fate of the old growth deferral areas outside of First Nation consultations. This is not how we imagine democracy to work regarding public lands/First Nations’ traditional territories. It is business as usual for forest licensees who choose to ignore “voluntary” deferrals, unless clear direction is given by the representative First Nation authority to support the old-growth deferral within their traditional territory or a portion thereof. Cutting Permit 714 was approved post old-growth deferral mapping, an area amounting to 410 ha. Natural Resource District Managers (Statutory Decision Makers) are approving Cutting Permits that overlap mapped old growth deferral areas, highlighting how disfunctional the Forest and Range Practices Act is. This is what is posted on the government website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/forestry/managing-our-forest-resources/old-growth-forests/deferral-areas Old growth deferral areas We are currently working in partnership with Indigenous Nations to defer logging activity within 2.6 million hectares of B.C.’s most at-risk old growth forests. Approved short-term deferrals will help protect and support these ecosystems while First Nations, the Province, and other partners develop a new approach for old growth forest management. To support the deferral process, government will immediately cease advertising and sales of BC Timber Sales in the affected areas. Approaches to deferrals There are several mechanisms for deferring harvest in old forests. These include: Voluntary deferrals, where a licensee or tenure holder volunteers to avoid harvesting in areas for a period of time Regulation based deferrals including the use of Part 13 of the Forest Act to establish a legally enforceable deferral Directed deferrals, in the case of the provincial government providing direction to BC Timber Sales Some old growth deferral areas are established under Part 13 of the Forest Act as “designated areas” and the Act gives the authority for a Ministerial Order (MO) to direct activities within those designated areas….only 11 locations have been designated under Part 13 of the Forest Act (see web site link). Cutting Permit 714 is a classic example of road right-of-way logging and clear cutting that is targeting old growth deferral areas, with the forest licensee being NorthPac. This is evidence that a forest licensee can ignore an old- growth deferral because it is “voluntary” in this case, as it is with the majority of old-growth deferrals in the province. I am currently pleading with Ministers Bruce Ralston and Nathan Cullen to re-set provincial policy direction to ensure that old growth deferrals remain as such, until such time that a collaborative outcome is arrived at through revised land use plans or alternate mechanism favourable to all. As part of the wider ForestWatch network, please consider ramping up the pressure to provide our elected officials the political capital to do what is right….write to them directly, set up face-to-face meetings, etc.
  5. Len Vanderstar
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