Photo by: Scott McGeachyEnvironmentalist and tree huggers, young and old alike, rejoiced when the government of British Columbia announced today that effective immediately it would put an end to the logging of old growth forest across the province.
Pat Bell, Minister of Forests and Range said, "After sitting down with feedback groups our government has decided to listen and do what the people of this great province have been asking for - put an end to the destruction of our dwindling old growth forest resources."
"About 75% of the original productive old growth forests have been logged on Vancouver Island for example," Bell exclaimed passionately, "and we have to save what is left for our children, and their children. We are thinking at least 7 generations ahead in all our planning. Logging old growth is an old idea that we don't need any more."
He went on to explain that the government has decided to listen to groups such as Western Canada Wilderness Committee, Ancient Forest Alliance, and others, and that the new plan considered old-growth forests to be vitally important for sustaining a diverse ecosystem, tourism, clean water, First Nations traditional cultures, and would therefore be protected henceforth for all time.
Ken Wu, interviewed in the now protected Avatar Grove said, "Wow", and announced the formation of his new group No Oil Tankers Alliance.
The government is in the process now of shifting to the sustainable use of second and third growth forest resources in B.C.
I only wish this could be realized in our lifetime. The logging truck i saw on the highway today loaded with oldgrowth cedar begs to differ.
ReplyDeleteI published this post on April Fools Day 2010, allowing myself to dream. It ended up receiving a crazy amount of hits shortly after, and has become one of this blogs most-viewed posts.
DeleteI too, wish this were true. Alas, like the BC government's policy on old growth forests, it was a joke.