Where do we stand?

WhereDoWeStand is a website and platform for citizens concerned about the North Cowichan Forest Reserve. Our one shared message is stated by the petition and signed by over 1500 citizens. "We are requesting a pause in all logging of the North Cowichan Municipal Forests to allow time for public consultation on the future of our six public forest reserves."
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News & Updates

Forestry Review Update - June 14, 2019

Stoney Hill Logging Update, North Cowichan Citizen Satisfaction Survey, Breakthrough News from UBC Forestry that could preserve sections of our forest without a loss of income.

Despite the 1,500 petitions, 900 citizen comments, countless letters to council, in-person pleas at the Council Meetings and a protest at the Municipal Office - the tender for Stoney Hill was issued and should be awarded shortly.

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The Perfect Catch 22

Stoney Hill Blowdown Logging Protest - The Perfect Catch 22 - Forest Gates close on Mt. Prevost and Sicker due to fire risk - Tenders close for Stoney Hill & Mt. Tzouhalem logging.

Topics: 1. What is happening with the North Cowichan forest review? ... It’s time to put someone in charge of the forest review and get things rolling. 2. Keep Stoney Hill intact

Read the update

Partnership Opportunity with UBC Forestry & Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership

The purpose of this letter is to invite a further discussion on whether and how the Municipality of North Cowichan might engage with the Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership (www.cdfcp.ca) and UBC Faculty of Forestry to help advance your communities’ long-term goals for the sustainable use of your forest resources.

“We have exchanged a lot of detailed information with a handful of individuals, and we want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to have their questions answered,” says Mayor Al Siebring. “We also want to ensure that these questions and answers are readily available to the community, so that all residents know exactly what the plans are for this year.”

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Community engagement on future management of the Municipal Forest Reserve

Council discussed its desire for community engagement on future management of the Municipal Forest Reserve. Staff proposed that Council discuss, confirm, and clarify how open or constrained future engagement might be. Council decided to refer it this to the next Council meeting for consideration.

Read proposed public engagement statement

Stoney Hill, Fields of Broom, Windfall - Not What we expected

Stoney Hill is a unique configuration of cobble stone with relatively little soil, billions of dormant broom seeds and seedlings everywhere, and the Fields Of Broom—a threat to the ecology and public safety. The Municipality of North Cowichan has not made a plan to deal with the infestation brought in by municipal logging.

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BC Forest Professional Magazine

March/April 2019

What can professionals do to improve consultation with the public?

If a long-lasting relationship between a licensee and the public is to be formed, then: trust should be established early and be meaningful; adequate time should be allocated to enable public involvement; professionals should ensure the public has adequate resources to effectively participate and that all interested parties are given opportunity to comment.

The article indirectly references North Cowichan (page 12,13)

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Forestry and Carbon in British Columbia

February 2019

Seven forest carbon myths, misconceptions, or oversimplifications.

Author: Jim Pojar (retired) worked for the BC forest service as an Ecologist for 25 years

BC’s forest carbon strategy favours accelerated logging, more wood products, and more bioenergy. The mantra goes like this. Our forests will all soon burn up, fall to beetles, or blow down anyway. So we should quickly log much more, store the carbon in long-lasting wood products and landfills, use the logging debris for biofuel, and promptly reforest to take up more carbon

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