Nanaimo Council UBCM Resolution: Call for the Immediate Deferral of Logging in All At-Risk Oldgrowth in BC
Nanaimo Council will be voting Monday March 29th on a resolution to Call on the BC Government to follow through on the recommendations of the Old-growth Strategic Review which includes the immediate deferral of logging in all at-risk Old-Growth forests in B.C. At-risk means the most productive, rare, oldest and most intact old-growth in the province.
We are spending enormous amounts of money as a municipality and as a province on climate emissions reduction and adaptation and yet we are still liquidating these ancient old-growth ecosystems that are one of the most globally valuable natural assets in terms of carbon storage, sequestration, protection against wildfire and bank of biodiversity. We need the provincial government to act now on following though on its commitments on protecting B.C’s Old-growth, help us meet our goals for climate action and to build a sustainable forest industry for secure jobs into the future.
Click this link for full council resolution and briefing note: .OLD GROWTH resolution plus Breifing note
RESOLUTION:
Call for Immediate Protection of all at-risk Old-growth Forests in BC
WHEREAS ancient high productivity (big tree) old growth ecosystems are globally one of the most valuable climate mitigation and resiliency assets in terms of carbon storage, sequestration, protection against wildfire, storage of water and bank of biodiversity;
AND WHEREAS, of the miniscule amount (2.7%) of the original high productivity (big tree) old-growth forests that are left (less than 1% of BC’s total current forested area), 75% are still slated to be eliminated through logging; BE IT RESOLVED
THAT the City of Nanaimo call on the provincial government to immediately defer logging in all high productivity, rare, oldest, and most intact old-growth forests as recommended by the Old-Growth Strategic Review, until all 14 of the panel’s recommendations have been implemented; including deferrals in such at-risk old-growth forests as, the head waters of Fairy Creek, the Upper Walbran Valley, Nahmint Valley, Eden Grove, Edinburgh Mountain, Upper Tsitika Valley, East Creek, Klaskish Valley, Nimpkish Lake and the Inland Old-Growth Temperate Rainforest.
AND THAT the City of Nanaimo formally oppose the logging of at-risk old-growth forests;
AND THAT the City of Nanaimo call on the Government of British Columbia to allocate funding to enact deferrals in an economically just manner, in the full spirit of reconciliation and to support the economic transition of affected First Nations and non-First Nation communities from unsustainable old-growth logging for the development of long-term sustainable local economies.
AND THAT the following resolution be sent to the Union of BC Municipalities and as a late submission to AVICC:
Click here for full resolution and 8 page Briefing note: OLD GROWTH resolution plus Breifing note
