A powerful new documentary connecting industrial logging to catastrophic flooding is coming to the Sunshine Coast this September.
On Wednesday, September 17, the Sunshine Coast Conservation Association (SCCA) and RhizomeUp!Media will host a screening of Trouble in the Headwaters at Roberts Creek Hall. The 25-minute film, directed by award-winning filmmaker Daniel J. Pierce, investigates the 2018 Grand Forks flood and its links to industrial clear-cutting practices.
The documentary features the research of Dr. Younes Alila, a professor of forest hydrology at UBC, whose work has helped illuminate the hydrological consequences of logging in B.C.’s watersheds.
Following the screening, a panel discussion will take place with Pierce, Alila, and Suzanne Senger, executive director of the SCCA. The panel will focus on local watershed threats, including a proposed logging cutblock in the recharge zones of Aquifers 560 and 552 — critical sources of drinking water for Gibsons, West Howe Sound, and over 20,000 residents connected to the Chapman system, says the release.
“This event comes at a critical time,” the release states, “as BC Timber Sales prepares to auction a logging cutblock in the recharge zones of Aquifers 560 and 552.”
The organizers emphasize the importance of public awareness and engagement around watershed protection, especially as communities face increasing climate-related risks.
The trailer for Trouble in the Headwaters can be found online.
Jordan Copp is Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
