In the summer of 2016, a subsidiary of one of the world’s leading aggregate companies announced it was about to commence exploratory surface drilling in the Lloyd Creek Area of Desolation Sound. This is in close proximity to the region’s foremost kayak and boating area and, consequently, brings a substantial income to local businesses. Had the venture gone forward, one of the regions few remaining old growth forests would have been cut down, an important fish bearing creek would have been devastated and a number of important indigenous sites would have been threatened. Lehigh Hanson Materials abandoned its application, but local author Judith Williams talks about a new threat to Desolation Sound.
Continue reading New Threat To Desolation SoundTag Archives: Old Growth Forest
Cortes Community Forest’s First Five Years
British Columbia’s old growth forests fertilize themselves as efficiently as a farmer looking after his fields. The tree plantations that are fast replacing them lack this ability. If this trend continues, the province’s vast forests may be a memory in the next two or three centuries. The inhabitants of one tiny island are trying to change this. In this morning’s program one of the directors, Bruce Ellingsen, tells me about Cortes Community Forest’s first five years of operations.
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Sampling A Slice Of Nature At Cliff Gilker Park
By Roy L Hales
There is a little spot of Eden just outside of Gibsons. A 7-kilometre-long network of trails guides visitors along Roberts Creek and through the old growth forest. Sampling a slice of nature at Cliff Gilker Park can be an afternoon’s experience, or a short relaxing walk.
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The Energetic Forest
Originally published on Cortes Radio, as part of the Deep Roots Initiative, Season One.
“Do trees communicate? Do they look after each other and other species?
Story Producer Rick Bockner unearths a sophisticated network of co-dependent life forces, below and above our feet.
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Potentially Embarrassing Questions About BC’s Stumpage Rates
By Roy L Hales
During a recent interview, Campbell River film maker Damien Gillis said “there would be a great deal of outrage” if the public knew the degree to which we subsidize logging old growth forests. These subsidies come in the form of lower stumpage fees for the remote areas where most of our surviving ancient forests still persist. Gillis also informed me this is a central issue in the United States’ softwood dispute with Canada. After the interview, I drew up a series of potentially embarrassing questions about BC’s stumpage rates.
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