It is critical that the provincial government in British Columbia accept and immediately implement all 14 recommendations from an independent panel’s strategic review of old growth forest released by the province in September 2020. Despite promised action, little has been done to address these highly respected and long overdue recommendations.

A private woodlot operator on Gambier Island has up until now confined its clearcut logging practices to the Mannion Creek catchment area. Recently they have built roads across the drainage divide into the Whispering Creek watershed. The logging in Whispering Creek, which could start any day now, will include the clearcut logging of a portion of old growth forest and cause serious and irreparable damage to the watershed. All logging in this cutblock must halt immediately before these ancient forests are lost forever.

Across British Columbia these old forests are rare, disappearing rapidly and too valuable for log export. Endangered species are at risk, as is the drinking water for the local community. The health and wealth of this spectacular creek will be severely compromised.  We are seeing more and more people standing up to protect British Columbia’s old growth forests. It is now time once again for us to take a stand for what’s left of the ancient forests of Chá7elkwnech (Gambier Island).