SazVegan

The reality of Govt's 'paradigm shift' to better forest stewardship can be measured @ "[6] completing the Old Growth Strategic Action Plan by the end of 2023." I can't help sharing June Ross's mistrust of govts -- & specifically this current BC Govt. who've given us NOT 1 REASON to trust they'll implement their new "initiatives", having failed to act on even ONE of (promised) 14 URGENT recommendations of the existing (3 yr old) Strategic Old Growth panel's report.. As Herb Hammond says, we urgently need to "get on with it" -- NOW -- to "maintain & restore forest health, protect old-growth forest attributes, provide for ecological resilience, furnish a diversity of wildlife habitat; & provide for climate adaptation". So far, ALL we've seen from this Govt are delay tactics & "optics" as Trevor Goward points out, giving "the illusion of progress while at the same time prolonging 'business as usual' as long as politically feasible". Given the mounting risks of this devolving status quo, I cannot share Fred Marshall's hope that all this obvs. malfeasance -- "modus operandi of the BC govt" -- won't continue; it surely WILL, with predictably disastrous results.. Our best chances for the paradigm shift we need comes via the BC Greens: the only party whose Constitution delivers community resilience & a sustainable future backed by thriving, renewable & circular economies. We just need to QUIT RELYING ON the empty lies & long-deserted loyalties of mainstream entities that bely with impunity their every well-staged 'optic' -- eg. the corrupt est'd parties pushing ecocide & rising GHGs: they -- INCL. the 'old' BC-NDP -- are irrelevant, if not expired. Let's instead grow backbones & dismiss the endless (undeserved) drone of thoughtless slander waged against our trusty Greens for too long, & when the time comes mark the 'X's that'll ease our overdue transition..

The irrefutable facts detailed in this article contain the critical keys to fire prevention & forest management planning going forward, & therefore must be included & prioritized in the BC govt's 'biodiversity & ecosystem health framework' plan underway for Spring '24 -- & they echo my own deep concerns & frustration expressed in my 'PlanetSedge' blog (on Blogger.com) (as well as in numerous letters to govt. & conversations with associates, friends & strangers alike) over the past decade. I too have been pushed to ask the exact 2 questions posed at the article's end, ad infinitum it seems, without 1 cogent/ logical/ lucid reply received. While my own (in)ability to convince/ recruit others to join this urgent call for 'eco-justice' from MLAs may be stunted by limits of influence/ whatever, my clearheaded view of the situation (bolstered by constantly-sought-out expertise found in articles like these) fuels endless dissatisfaction -- & yes rage -- with the officials whose undeserved dominion over the fate of our invaluable primary forests (= literally, LICENCE TO KILL) is tantamount to treason. Somehow, these truths need to GET TO all BCers, come what may -- & ASAP.

The most important part of this "potentially significant" Govt. announcement is of course the commentary provided by the Wilderness Committee, since "these draft frameworks, plans & consultations are all happening while habitat is being destroyed & species are being pushed toward extinction." I.e. it's meaningless unless acted on with the urgency spelled out by Coste & Dawe, to avoid further deadly consequences - most obvious & pressing of which are out-of-control wildfires proven to be spread (if not caused directly) by the criminal clearcutting/spraying of healthy forests: THAT emergency must be prioritized as a key impetus for timely implementation of new measures, by Spring at the latest, before a repeat of last year's 'wildfire season'.