Happy National Forest Week everybody.
After reading the paper yesterday (Sept. 22) it seems apparent that our forests are a thing to celebrate. Why we would reserve that for just one week a year mystifies me.
One article informs us of a 20-point plan Mr. Horgan has come up with that would, among other things, increase Indigenousshare in forest harvesting to 10 per cent and thenjustifies not banning old growth cutting because of Colonial style imposition on Indigenous peoples’ rights. Personally, I think Native stewardship should far exceed 10 per cent but with such a minor stake in the game, it i disingenuous to use that as an excuse for business as usual in the clearcutting of a national treasure.
In Mr. Horgan’s riding, th eteal-Jones group is facing large protests because of old growth harvesting and in a speech Mr. Horgan states, it is “difficult to watch law enforcement being utilized to address the passion of peole in the old growth forest and “not going back to our colonial past and dictating to Indigenous communities what they can and cannot do.”
What share of Teal-Jones group is Indigenous?
I do wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Horgan that the RCMP have better things to do such as addressing gang violence but they are mandated to serve and protect.
Sadly, the interests they are serving and protecting in the case of forest protest is not the average person but the financial wellbeing of logging companies. This is due to the confusion between price/economy and true value. Value to me is family love, societal health and even the love of a cherished pet or garden. No price can be reasonably set on such things but Mr. Horgan seems to not understand that there is a distinction between the two. Signs like “Forestry Feeds my Family” are ignorant of this distinction as well.
All construction families also depend on forestry and without some harvest, it would be impossible to build new homes. It is a complex issue and sometimes it is hard to see the forest for the trees.
Sadly, due to many influences of climate change, record temperatures and over-harvesting, the forest itself will resolve this.
I don’t know if anyone else has noticed this summer but the amount of dead and dying conifers up and down the highway is alarming. One would think that they are campaigninig for a certain “red” party.
I believe that by the time Mr. trudeaucalls for another election in five years (4, 3, 2?), that the forest “red” party will be in a majority. Mr. Horgan’s deferral of cutting old growth could be timed to let trees stand dead for a hot, rainless summer or two to maximize the profits and not have to kiln dry the lumber.
SO this week the CIF-IFC has trumpeted National Forest Week. This group is, in their words, “the voice of forest practitioners representing foresters, forest technologists and technicians.” Funny, to me, is that they don’t even mention trees in their self-description so don’t be fooled about the focus of their activities, it is forest harvesting not forest stewardship.
So, let’s have a fun forest week but call it what it is, Happy Forest Harvesting Week.
Rob Meaga,
Campbell River