B.C. forms independent old-growth advisory panel to guide logging management
The B.C. government says it's putting together an independent Old-Growth Technical Advisory Panel to guide the province's next steps in old-growth management.
Five people will make up the panel, which will use science and data to form its recommendations, particularly surrounding old-growth logging deferrals.
Each of the five members on the panel have decades of forest management or policy-making experience under their belts,
The five members include Garry Merkel, is an experienced forester and member of the Tahltan Nation in northwest B.C., Rachel F. Holt (PhD), an ecologist based in Nelson, Lisa Matthaus, provincial lead for environmental group Organizing for Change, Karen Price (PhD), an ecologist based near Smithers, and Dave Dust (M.Sc., RPF), a landscape analyst based near Smithers.
"This new technical panel will ensure we’re using the best science and data available to identify at-risk old-growth ecosystems and prioritize areas for deferral," said Minister of Forests Katrine Conroy in a release Thursday.
"We are committed to a science-based approach to old-growth management, and our work with the advisory panel will help us break down barriers between the different interpretations of data that are out there," she said.
Earlier this month, the province agreed to a two-year deferral of old-growth logging in the Fairy Creek and central Walbran valley areas of Vancouver Island, after it was requested by three local First Nations.
The province says there are currently 11 old-growth areas where logging has been deferred, including the two most recent deferrals.
Protesters in the Fairy Creek area, who are still manning blockades in the region, say they want old-growth logging to stop across the province in perpetuity.
Meanwhile, the province says it is still working on 14 old-growth management recommendations that were presented to B.C. in September 2020.
The province has committed to adopting all 14 of the recommendations, and recently laid out a rough timeline for when the measures will be addressed, which can be found below.
(Province of B.C.)
(Province of B.C.)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.