Old-growth management on Quadra Island needs improvement
VICTORIA – An investigation into a complaint has found that the management of old-growth forests on Quadra Island needs to be improved to ensure enough old forests will be present on the island in the future.
A representative of the Discovery Islands Forest Conservation Project complained to the Forest Practices Board that the remnants of old forest on Quadra Island are at risk of being harvested. The board investigated timber harvesting carried out by TimberWest Forest Corp., Okisollo Resources Ltd. and Younger Brothers Holdings.
“While we found that each of the licensees did not comply with some aspect of forestry legislation, the bigger issue is that no one is responsible for monitoring or ensuring that Quadra
Island’s old forests are conserved, or that enough mature forests are protected from logging so they can develop into old forest in the future,” said Keith Atkinson, chair, Forest Practices Board.
Quadra Island has a long history of harvesting and natural disturbance, such as wildfires that burned much of the island in the mid-1920s. As a result, there is very little forest older than 250 years. Mature forest (80-120 years) is abundant; however, and some of that forest will need to be set aside to develop into old forest to meet the Province’s targets for amounts of old forests and biodiversity.
The investigation found that TimberWest does not have an effective strategy to ensure that adequate amounts of mature forest in its Tree Farm Licence 47 will be conserved to eventually become old and meet the Province’s targets for old forest. The two other licensees hold woodlots and the provincial requirements to conserve old forests do not apply. Despite this, both Okisollo and Younger Brothers have committed to not harvesting old forests, through their woodlot licence plans.
“The report includes a recommendation that TimberWest amend its forest stewardship plan to include a strategy for the recruitment of old forest that describes how it will ensure the full target amount of old forest is achieved in the Quadra landscape unit,” Atkinson said. “In the board’s view, the solution for Quadra Island is a planning process to identify and conserve old forests and priority recruitment areas. It is up to the provincial government to understand what old-forest values exist in the Quadra landscape unit and ensure that forest licensees’ plans include measurable or verifiable commitments to manage them.”
The Forest Practices Board is B.C.’s independent watchdog for sound forest and range practices, reporting its findings and recommendations directly to the public and government.
The board investigates public complaints about forest and range practices on public lands and the appropriateness of government enforcement. It can also make recommendations for
improvement to practices and legislation.
Contact:
Tanner Senko
Communications Manager
Forest Practices Board
250 889-8211
1 800 994-5899
