Tag Archives: David Broadland article

Forests

Evasion of forest regulations confirmed on Quadra Island

Originally published by the Discovery Islands Forest Conservation Project.

By David Broadland

In April 2023, the Discovery Islands Forest Conservation Project filed a complaint with the Forest Practices Board. Our surveys showed that the area of old forest on Quadra had fallen below 5 percent of the Crown forested area and three logging companies continued to log old forest or degrade it. We asked the Board to find a way to stop the degradation and reverse the loss.

The Board just released its report. It found that TimberWest, the tenure holder of TFL 47, has for the past 20 years failed to develop a plan for how it will meet the minimal targets set out in the 2004 Order Establishing Provincial Non-spatial Old Growth Objectives. That order sets a target of “greater than nine percent” old forest for the 11,000 hectares of TFL 47 on Quadra.

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Forests, Politics

The NDP’s recent revamping of forest legislation returns stewardship of BC forests to the government and provides powerful new tools for the public to make a difference

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Originally published by the Discovery Islands Forest Conservation Project.

By David Broadland

The “unduly clauses” are gone. The public must now be notified about proposed logging before a cutting permit is issued and the public gets to voice their concern about every proposed cutblock. Now it is mandatory for a district manager to refuse to issue a cutting permit if doing so would “compromise” a government objective. Now is the time for citizens to act.

Continue reading The NDP’s recent revamping of forest legislation returns stewardship of BC forests to the government and provides powerful new tools for the public to make a difference →
Forests

Once A Major Source of Employment

The number of jobs provided by cutting island forests is no longer a key concern of either tenure holders or government

Originally published by the Discovery Islands Forest Conservation Project

By David Broadland

Ministry of Forests’ records suggest 80 to 90 percent of the cut on Quadra Island is exported as raw logs by Mosaic Forest Management—all to support government employee pensions.

At one time in BC, the damage done by logging forests was considered an acceptable cost for the jobs provided. In 1965, for example, for each 1000 cubic metres of wood harvested, there were 1.69 people employed in logging, milling and allied industries.

But by 2019, that number had fallen to less than a full job—.79 person per 1000 cubic metres. That’s less than half of what it was in 1965. Ouch.

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