Every Reason Not To Log

Staff Report To The Rescue: Every Reason Not To Log

This Wednesday, Council will vote on the new staff report about logging our Community Forest. The report spells out every reason — ethical, ecological, financial — why Council should not resume logging. This is it, friends and neighbours, if you’re ever going to write a letter to Council to protect the Six Mountains Forest, now is the time.

In brief, the report advises Council to respect the public, and the $300,000 forest consultation; to respect the Quw’utsun, with whom we are in co-management negotiations; and warns that it will cost taxpayers half a million dollars for staff to create a 2027 forestry plan, that may be thrown out in eleven months in the next election. 

The co-authored staff report is signed by the one person who the four pro-logging councillors can neither doubt nor disbelieve — our forester, Shaun Mason — or was our forester, in 2023, when our community voted overwhelmingly for conservation. Recently, signalling change, Shaun was promoted to Director of Parks and Recreation, while continuing to oversee our Community Forest.

The report is 17 pages long. I’ll sum it up in a few short points. 

Report:  https://pub-northcowichan.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=21435 (starts on page 39)

Finally we have the real numbers about the finances: From 1987 to 2019 the forest reserve generated an average annual net profit of $132,739. 

The report warns that logging will likely impact tourism (a large source of income for our community).

The report also warns that “to substantially increase revenue, North Cowichan would need to expand harvesting activities beyond historical levels… (Thus) the risk of exceeding sustainable yields and compromising long-term ecological and social objectives.” 

Furthermore, the report says, “(M)any of the more accessible and less visually prominent areas have already been harvested.”

“Moreover, increased harvesting could directly affect recreational activities”…“reduce trail availability, alter scenic and natural values, and create conflicts among user groups, including hikers, cyclists, and Indigenous cultural practitioners.”

There is one point I want to mention that is not in the report — the possible, long-term, financial costs of logging, including erosion, destruction of watersheds, and wild fires (old trees = fire prevention). I’m adding this because I feel it’s wrong to ever overlook these costs to be borne by young people following in our tracks.

Ok, we need to move quickly to take action. We have until Tuesday afternoon to write to Council. Just a few brief lines to support Council to take our forests off the chopping block. It’s difficult for any of us to change our minds; it takes courage. Now that our Councillors know that logging makes no financial sense, they have every reason to change their minds.

To support staff and Council, on Wednesday, write to council@northcowichan.ca.

Also we can show up at the Council meeting or online, to speak to our Councillors.

Click here for meeting details and public input instructions 

https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-hall/mayor-council/agendas-minutes-video

Icel Dobell

WhereDoWeStand