EDITORS NOTE
I am pasting two exchanges I have had with MLA Adam Olsen for your information and thought.

-Original Message-
From: Olsen.MLA, Adam
Sent: Monday, October 7, 2019 11:29 AM
To: jross12telus.net
Subject: Protecting old growth forests

Hello,

I want to thank you for reaching out to our office regarding the ongoing logging of old-growth forests in British Columbia. Adam has asked me to follow up and provide an update on the work he and the BC
Green caucus have been doing on this file.

Adam and the BC Greens have called for the provincial government to immediately halt logging in the few intact, high productivity old-growth
hotspots that remain on Vancouver Island. These are areas that have been identified by First Nations, scientists, communities, and conservationists as areas of critical conservation value. We also called
for the provincial government to immediately begin the process of nation-to-nation consultation with First Nations regarding old-growth protection. We need to manage our forests to protect and foster their economic, ecological, and cultural values. We need to manage them with a long term vision rather than for a short term payout. You can read more
about our call for immediate action here:
https://adamolsenmla.ca/calling-for-a moratorium-on-logging-old-growth/

We have also asked that the government make an investment in mill retrofits so that the coastal logging industry is able to process second-growth and value added products and transition to sustainable forestry. Our forestry sector, along with the forests themselves, have both become unhealthy and vulnerable over the past several decades. In
our forestry sector an unwillingness to change has meant widespread mill closures, large-scale exports of raw logs, and growing amounts of
use-able fibre left as waste. In our forests a combination of poor forestry practices and climate change have resulted in intensifying wildfire seasons, pest outbreaks, watershed impacts, and habitat degradation.

Old-forests are far more valuable in the ground than out. Their ecological and cultural value and cultural significance far outweigh their value in lumber. These trees support more biodiversity than second-growth forests and are key for many species. Earlier this week a UN report stated that 1 million species are currently threatened with extinction, and habitat loss is the main culprit. This is also threatening humanity's capacity for survival. We've heard from constituents, First Nations, environmental groups, scientists, and people from across the province that they are concerned. Yet in spite of this we have heard from the minister directly that the government has no plans to move toward a sustainable strategy and stop the logging of
old-growth.

We hope that the BC government will heed our call and move immediately to protect the remaining old-growth forests in British Columbia. We will continue working on this important file. Thank you for your passion and
advocacy on this issue.

All the best,

Ryan Clayton Constituency Assistant
Constituency Office of Adam Olsen, MLA
#215-2506 Beacon Ave, Sidney, BC V8L 4T9
Phone: 250-655-5600 Fax: (250) 655-7398

MY RESPONSE:

Thank you for the response Ryan.

Our major concern is the clear-cutting that is occurring throughout the province in many of our drinking water watersheds!This must be stopped until the Acts are amended. It is insaneness what the
forestry corporations are doing!

In addition to this piece...if the cutting of second growth is allowed to happen in the manner it is occurring...the first growth trees will have so
much blow down we will lose it all.

The forestry practices in this province are causing drinking water watersheds problems and wildlife extinction. It is about more than First Growth cutting!
Please...ask Adam to expand the thought patterns on this HUGE problem!

Yours
June Ross
Chair - Vancouver Island Water Watch Coalition
Editor - www.vancouverislandwaterwatchcoalition.ca