Tag Archives: Logging

Forests, History

Early Logging on Cortes Island and Vicinity: Local History with Lynne Jordan

Lynne Jordan has contributed to historical booklets available at the Cortes Island Museum and is currently researching the history of early logging activity in Whaletown.

In the course of an extensive 3-part interview, Lynne draws on original documents, archives, and oral histories to paint a picture of early settler loggers on Cortes — their equipment, their floating camps, the economy in which some prospered and some failed.

The logging community was always a really mixed bag… Much of the logging was done by hand. Some of it using horses.

Logging was not a good way to get rich.

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Environment, Forests

Forests, Fires, and Our Future: Dr Ruth Waldick speaks on climate resilience

Since late 2021, a small group of Cortes residents has met regularly to discuss climate change and its impacts on our region. On February 4th, 2023, the “WTF Friday” event featured environmental scientist Ruth Waldick; Dr Waldick gave a presentation on climate change, fire risk, and forestry practise.

We may have no control over the weather, but we do have some control over soil moisture, fuel loads and ignition risk. 

— Ruth Waldick, Transition Salt Spring

Her presentation covered two main themes: the increase in fire risk created by traditional logging practises in BC, and methods of forest restoration — accessible to private landowners as well as crown land managers — that can reduce the risk of dangerous wildfires in our area.

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Energy, Forests, Opinion

Talk Is Cheap, Part 1: BC Fails to Fulfill its Carbon, Climate, Forestry Promises

The government of Canada, and the BC government, state publicly that they are committed to carbon reduction and proactive responses to climate change; yet both Canada and BC remain consistently among the world’s top carbon emitters per capita. In 2019 Canada was the world’s highest carbon emitter per capita.

On the one hand, our government proposes initiatives that would improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions — in sectors like transportation and construction. But on the other hand, they continue to subsidise existing and new fossil-fuel projects such as LNG Canada and the Coastal Gaslink pipeline — to expand fracking.

Canada’s Liberal government spent $4.5B to purchase the Trans-Mountain Pipeline in 2018, only to announce in Spring 2022 that no further funding would be allocated to the project as cost overruns neared 70%. But wasting money may be the least of our problems. These fossil-fuel projects have huge carbon impacts.

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Forests

Courtenay Old Growth Logging Protest

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On August 20th, approximately 60 people came together at MLA – Ronna-Ray Leonard‘s, MLA office in Courtenay B.C., placards and speeches at the ready. Local vehicle traffic, regularly tooted their horns in support of the rally participants. The RCMP were also in attendance, however discreetly.

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Forests

Old Growth Forest Logging During COVID

Campbell River Mirror, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Who is keeping an eye on the forests? That’s a question that environmental groups have been asking ever since COVID-19 put limitations on all major watchdog activities. As logging continues amidst COVID-19 lockdown, conservationists are worried that there’s no one around to monitor old growth forest logging on North Vancouver Island.

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