Editor:
The Sunshine Coast Community Forest (SCCF) logging company ran an ad in the April 1 edition “Information About Block EW24,” which I’d like to respond to. It suggests that “conservationists” support the logging of these types of forests, however that assertion is very misleading.
What we know about this forest is that there was selective logging in the 1920s of the red cedar with all of the old-growth Douglas-fir left standing. These tall firs survived a wildfire, thus are estimated to be 350-450 years with an emerging understory of conifers at 100+ years.
This is a naturally-regenerated forest never replanted by SCCF, which has invested zero dollars into this stand. Thus, this proposed block is classic timber extraction, no different that mining coal. A consulting firm that SCCF hired to provide an “EW24 Environmental Assessment,” concluded that the biodiversity conditions in this stand actually meet the definition of being an “Old Forest” – that it would be a good candidate for protection.
However, the firm contracted by SCCF must have been asked to provide a way out to protect this forest, so they found a backdoor excuse for the client. It concluded that it’s too bad that this Old Forest is surrounded by other cutblocks, a road and a proposed mine, so it’s actually okay to log it. Now that’s spin if we’ve ever seen it.
Ross Muirhead, ELF
