The Strathcona Regional District (SRD) referred concerns with old forest management on Quadra Island to the Natural Resources and First Nations Relations Committees for recommendation.

In August, the Forest Practices Board released a report stating that three Forestry companies were out of compliance with ‘some aspect of forestry legislation.’ ‘TimberWest does not employ a strategy to ensure that the appropriate amount of mature forests will become old (p 16).’ Okisollo Resources Ltd ‘did not follow its wildlife tree retention strategy when it harvested cutblocks 19-01 and 19-02’ (p 22). Younger Brothers Holdings ‘harvested trees from an area where its Woodlot License Plan said harvesting was to be avoided (p 23). 

At the Wednesday Oct 30, 2024, SRD Board meeting Regional Director Director Robyn Mawhinney of Quadra Island moved “that the board write a letter to the Minister of Forests, the Minister of Water, Lands and Natural Resources, and BC’s Chief Forester, highlighting concerns with old forest management on Quadra Island, the need for clarity on provincial responsibility for recruitment of old forests in landscape units with a deficit, and the immediate need for forest landscape planning on Quadra Island to ensure recruitment and retention of adequate mature forest to meet provincial targets.”

Director Mawhinney referred to the Forest Practises Board report, “It continues to say that while we found that each of the licensees did not comply with some aspect of forestry legislation, the bigger issue is that no one is responsible for monitoring or ensuring that Quadra Island’s old forests are conserved or that enough mature forests are protected from logging so they can develop into old forests in the future. And a report’s conclusion is that no one in the provincial government considers it their responsibility to ensure that recruitment strategies are in place where a deficit of old forests exists, and the report also points to the forest landscape plans as the solution to the issue, but that those are not planned for Quadra Island in the short term.”

Campbell River Director Susan Sinnott responded, “I’m just going to say that my intention is to move it on to the Resources Committee for further comment before we come back.

“The forest practices board may have done a comprehensive report, but there is still time left for Timber West to reply, so it’s not complete in terms of the  response, nor is there any mention of th indigenous oversight? From my understanding, the We Wai Kai Nation works closely with Mosaic Forest Management on the island, and it’s a big missing piece here. I don’t want to move too quickly on option B.” 

Director Mawhinney: “Thank you to director Sinnott for those comments. I’m aware  that We Wai Kai Nation is working closely with Mosaic and I’m grateful for that. Really the motion  that you see here is to write to the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Water, Lands and Natural Resources to highlight the clarity for the provincial responsibility. because why this has fallen through the cracks and why the Forest Practices Board has written this report is because currently for some reason, Quadra Island is in this sort of like anomalous position where although there’s a provincial requirement for 9% retention of old forests, there’s like 1% on Quadra Island.”

“Perhaps we should add the We Wai Kai Nation to the motion so that they are also aware of the concerns that we have about ensuring that the provincial recommendations are being followed.  I’m also really mindful of the We Wai Kai Nation’s response to Strathcona Regional District referrals. When we refer almost anything to them, their response is generally that they only respond to provincial referrals, or federal referrals. In this case, I think that they are a higher level of government and it’s more appropriate for them to be in discussions with the province about this.”

Director Sinnott: “I’m not in favor of this motion. I think it’s premature. I think we have to move it to our Indigenous Relations Committee as well as to our Natural Resources Committee for consideration of the proper handling of the Forest Practices Board response. We had better consult with We Wai Kai, who are directly impacted by this.”

Chair Mark Baker called the vote: “Any other discussion?  So all in favor: two, three, four.  Opposed.  The motion is defeated.  Could you put up your hands again? Director Sinnott, Director Kerr,  Director Lanyon, Director Dahl, Director Colburn and  Director Rice were opposed.” 

Director Sinnott: “I’m going to make a motion that we refer the report from the CAO on this matter to both the Resource Committee and the Indigenous Relations Committee for further comment on appropriate follow up and reporting back to the board with the recommendations.” 

Mayor Julie Colborne of Zeballos seconded this motion in this motion, “I’m hoping that what would come out of that is: the proper protocol, the timelines for those responses that are due to come so that we can get a really good handle on appropriateness, and how to move this forward in a way that respects the broad spectrum of stakeholders that are in the report as well as the provincial ministries that are concerned.”

Regional Director, Gerald Walley of Area A pointed out, “Directors are always free to write their own letter to the Minister to represent their own area and their own areas concerns. I’d recommend that Director Mawhinney do that.”

Director Matthew Jack of the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations said,“This is something that Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ has just gone through and we’ve developed in our land use plan. So it will be interesting to see where this goes. I don’t know if anybody’s aware, but we’ve just acquired  the tenure  for International Forest Products in the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ Territory.  It’s a large area. Aside from the parks we have in our area, we’re doing an assessment on what’s left for old growth in our area, and it’s ongoing right now.”

Mayor Martin Davis of Tahsis added, “We were interested in what was going on around our community, and we work directly with Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation and the local logging company to come to an agreement on what areas we’re going to be set aside and what areas can be allowed for recruitment. Then we went to the provincial government. directly. So that was our process, just a suggestion.”

Chair Baker: “Any other discussion? Okay.  All in favor.  Opposed.  Seeing none. Motion is carried.”  

After a brief pause, he added, “Director Vonesch, were you opposed?” 

Regional Director Mark Vonesch of Cortes Island replied, “Yes.”  

 This matter has been referred to the Natural Resources and First Nations Committees for further comment.

Top image credit: Image taken from Forest Practices Board press release of Sept 5, 2024

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