Looking down on a clearcut within a forest

Cutting Old Growth: Quadra Woodlot holder responds

On August 17, Cortes Currents published a review of David Broadland’s report ‘Land-use planning on Quadra Island has been undone by the Ministry of Forests.’

Broadland wrote that while all of the other Quadra Island woodlots leave big trees standing, Okisollo Resources fells a substantial number. In ‘before’ and ‘after’ satellite images from one of their cutblocks at Hummingbird Lake, he showed that 35 out of about 50 were logged in July and August of 2019. 

Logging road within one of Okisollo Resource’s cutblocks – Photo by Roy L Hales

In fairness to Okisollo Resources, this also means they left about 15 old growth standing.

Cortes Currents visited a couple of their cutblocks last March and can also attest that they do leave some big trees.

Never-the-less, Okisollo Resources states that they only cut old growth to build roads, or for safety reasons.

To get some perspective on this issue, Cortes Currents contacted the Cortes Community Forest to find out how many big trees they find it necessary to cut for roadbuilding or safety reasons. In the eight years they have been in operation, the Community Forest has felled one old growth tree and that at the express command of a WorkSafe board officer who ‘deemed it a danger tree and said it had to go.’

This is the same ratio Broadland cited among the majority of Quadra Island woodlots. 

Prior to publishing its review, Cortes Currents wrote Okisollo Resources, “This seems like quite a difference, given that you both have a stated intention of increasing the number of old growth in your areas over time. Can you explain why your numbers are so different?”

Okisollo Resources finally replied by email on August 24: 

“Mr. Hales, We are sorry to hear that you believe a topic as complex and rich as forest management can be summarized in a single statement.”

“With regards to the experience of the Cortes Community Forest Cooperative regarding individual old trees, it is impossible for us to have an opinion, based on the fact that we know nothing of the stands, terrain, or history of the areas that they are working in. Nor do they know anything about the conditions on our woodlot licence, and are thus in no position to make informed comparisons.”

Before and After pictures from Hummingbird Lake cutblock – Photo taken from David Broadland, Land-use planning on Quadra Island has been undone by the Ministry of Forests

“The removal of a limited number of scattered individual old trees pales in comparison to the permanent retention associated with the identified old growth stands within our woodlot licence area. As a reminder, the majority of the permanent retention areas include recruitment areas – mature forests that will develop into old growth stands. Additionally, there are multiple riparian reserves associated with lakes and streams which will develop into old growth forests over time.”

“You should be aware that this concern about scattered old trees has been raised by Mr. Burns not once, but at least 5 times to 4 different forest governance related bodies, and reviewed by multiple forest professionals. Each time it has been found that we are meeting or exceeding all our legal obligations with regards to the treatment and protection of old growth stands and old trees in our woodlot licence.”

“We encourage you to contact the provincial government if you have questions about forest management policies in BC.”

Top photo credit: Aerial view of the Hummingbird Lake cutblock – Photo taken from David Broadland, Land-use planning on Quadra Island has been undone by the Ministry of Forests

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