The Wilderness Committee
The Wilderness Committee is joining local residents to sound the alarm about cutting permits which could be issued any day for logging near Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park, in a Wildlife Habitat Area (WHA) that is supposed to be set aside for the critically endangered spotted owl.
“I’m horrified that the provincial government is considering allowing logging to proceed in the habitat of a critically endangered species,” said Gwen Barlee, policy director with the Wilderness Committee. “We join with concerned local residents in saying that this logging must not proceed—there must be no cutting in this spotted owl habitat.”
Nearby residents were surprised to find out that Tamihi Logging applied for a logging permit late last week. Tamihi had previously told people logging wouldn’t happen until May 2012. But now the permits, according to staff at the Chilliwack Forest District, are set to be issued this week. The area was set aside as a WHA in 2011 to protect it as spotted owl habitat.
There are now thought to be less than 10 spotted owls in the wild in British Columbia (BC). Both the BC and federal governments have pledged to bring the Canadian population of spotted owls back from the brink of elimination. “This is how you log a species into extinction, not bring it back from the edge. It’s incredibly irresponsible to even consider allowing logging of habitat that was specifically set aside for the protection of the spotted owl,” said Barlee.
“If this logging goes ahead, it will further fragment spotted owl habitat,” said Barlee. “The provincial government has committed to restoring spotted owl populations, and the only way they can honour their own policy is by putting a halt to this logging—now.”
Local residents are monitoring the situation, watching for activity in the cutblocks.
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The question that stumps me (no pun intended) is how it’s even possible for a logging company to log in an area previously designated as restoration habitat for the spotted owl? This seems like a clear violation of the law on the part of the logging company.
We drove to witness the logging near Chilliwack, and talked with a few business/residents, who were not aware of anything.
There must be positve economic solutions which could beneft the local and national Canadian economy. What are the solutions on the table? Where can solutions be listed– and addressed?
For example, what if local businesses (in eco-tourism/ conservation/ recreation/ education) were to MATCH the money that the govt receives from the local Tahini logging company. Not only could the funds be matched, but multiplied over and over as the years passed — as there would still be forests — plus healthier local business, and healthier constituents and a responsible generation. This would be a win-win situation for the residents, the local and national economy, the future generations/voters, and the preservation of good water and healthy forests/intact ecosystems.
Again, I may seem naive, but there must be common-sense economic solutions that need to be tested and explored, that benefit the local economy, the govt, and well-being of the forests — that are needed for future generations, as well.
What solutions are there — and where are they posted?
Why dont we preserve their genes, and then let them just get killed off, and the millions of dollars saved trying to protect this useless species will then be used for useful stuff like hospitals and schools?
Or lets be democratic. Whoever wants to save these birds should pay up for their preservation and also for our hospitals, and not those of us who rather have hospitals and not these birds?