Call for Immediate Protection of all at-risk Old-growth Forests in BC

It was moved and seconded that: WHEREAS ancient high productivity (big tree) old growth ecosystems are globally one of the most valuable climate mitigation and resiliency assets in terms of carbon storage, sequestration, protection against wildfire, storage of water and bank of biodiversity; AND WHEREAS, of the miniscule amount (2.7%) of the original high productivity (big tree) old-growth forests that are left (less than 1% of BC’s total current forested area), 75% are still slated to be eliminated through logging; BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Nanaimo call on the provincial government to immediately defer logging in all high productivity, rare, oldest, and most intact old-growth forests as recommended by the Old-Growth Strategic Review, until all 14 of the panel’s recommendations have been implemented; including deferrals in such at-risk old-growth forests as, the head waters of Fairy Creek, the Upper Walbran Valley, Nahmint Valley, Eden Grove, Edinburgh Mountain, Upper Tsitika Valley, East Creek, Klaskish Valley, Nimpkish Lake and the Inland Old-Growth Temperate Rainforest. AND THAT the City of Nanaimo formally oppose the logging of at-risk old-growth forests; AND THAT the City of Nanaimo call on the Government of British Columbia to allocate funding to enact deferrals in an economically just manner, in the full spirit of reconciliation and to support the economic transition of affected First Nations and non-First Nation communities from unsustainable old-growth logging for the development of long-term sustainable local economies. AND THAT the following resolution be sent to the Union of BC Municipalities and as a late submission to AVICC Immediate Protection for all at-risk Old-growth Forests in BC WHEREAS ancient high productivity (big tree) old growth ecosystems are globally one of the most valuable climate mitigation and resiliency assets in terms of carbon storage, sequestration, protection against wildfire, storage of water and bank of biodiversity; AND WHEREAS, of the minuscule amount (2.7%) of the original high productivity (big tree) old-growth forests that are left (less than 1% of BC’s total current forested area), 75% are still slated to be eliminated through logging; BE IT RESOLVED THAT the UBCM and AVICC call on the provincial government to immediately defer logging in all high productivity, rare, oldest, and most intact old-growth forests as recommended by the Old-Growth Strategic Review, until all 14 of the panel’s recommendations have been implemented; including deferrals in such at-risk old-growth forests as the head waters of Fairy Creek, the Upper Walbran Valley, Nahmint Valley, Eden Grove, Edinburgh Mountain, Upper Tsitika Valley, East Creek, Klaskish Valley, Nimpkish Lake and the Inland Old-Growth Temperate Rainforest. AND THAT the UBCM and AVICC call on the Government of British Columbia to allocate funding to enact deferrals in an economically just manner, in the full spirit of reconciliation and to support the economic transition of affected First Nations and non-First Nation communities from unsustainable old-growth logging for the development of long-term sustainable local economies.