A province-wide coalition of groups is calling for a New Forest Act, unveiling their proposal through a series of workshops including a stop in Prince George.
The Power of Forests Project is hosting a public workshop on Saturday from Noon to 3:30 pm at UNBC’s Canfor Theatre.
Under the proposed new legislation, the primary objective of forest management will be to maintain the ecological integrity of forest ecosystems.
The New Forest Act also aims to develop stable community-based jobs and local economies that strengthen the larger BC economy.
The event features veteran forester Herb Hammond and Michelle Connolly of Conservation North.
“Without new legislation, industry is not motivated to shift from an industrial model to an ecological model. By focusing on ecological integrity, BC can conserve the benefits we get from forests and create more jobs in rural communities”, says Jennifer Houghton of the Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society. “With 55,000 jobs lost in 20 years and all the damage being done, the current forestry system is not worth keeping. Legislation must safeguard the people and nature – our very survival depends on it.”
“The social license to log primary forest is gone, even in forestry-dependent communities, because there is so little left. We need to start imagining a different future where we can have healthy wildlife populations, natural fire control, and clean water”, says Michelle Connolly, of Conservation North, a volunteer-led group in Prince George. “This is what most people want regardless of their political leanings, and it’s achievable now.”
Registration for the event can be found here.
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