14-1-20
Dear tungsten,
I can’t believe this number. Logging companies are cutting down the last of BC’s old growth trees at a rate of 34 soccer fields per day. [1]
These ancient forests are some of the last habitat for endangered species, including owls, hawks, and caribou. They’re excellent carbon sinks, and they help defend against wildfires. Chopping them down is unthinkable -- and heartbreaking. [2]
But right now we have an opportunity to put a stop to it: an independent panel convened to review how BC manages old growth is accepting comments from the public by January 31st.
A flood of messages from BC voters could push the panel to recommend protecting ancient forests and force the government to put an end to old-growth logging.
But we don’t have much time. Will you send in your message now with our easy action tool? It only takes a minute.
There are plenty of reasons why old-growth logging doesn’t make sense for BC.
It could force endangered species like the spotted owl, northern goshawk and mountain caribou to extinction. These species are teetering on the edge of extinction, and old-growth forests are sometimes the only place they can live. [3]
It’s bad for the climate. Clearcutting old growth creates dead zones that emit more greenhouse gases than fossil fuels. In a climate emergency, destroying an excellent carbon sink and adding even more emissions just doesn’t make sense. [4,5]
It’s not necessary -- we can create sustainable forestry jobs instead. If BC phased out raw log exports, and improved our forest management practices we could create even more jobs without cutting another ancient tree. [6]
If we don’t act fast, we could lose our last ancient forests. The first step to stopping old-growth logging is to flood the review panel with comments before the Jan. 31st deadline.
Send a message to the BC government today to stop clearcutting invaluable old growth.
Our old-growth forests literally can’t wait another day -- they’re being destroyed wholesale as we speak.
The Province’s Old Growth Strategic Review is an extremely rare opportunity for us to speak up -- and our action tool makes it easy for you to send a clear message with just a few clicks. Click here to send your message to the BC Government now.
https://act.leadnow.ca/send-a-message-to-stop-old-growth-logging/
We’re in this together,
Cherry & Jolan on behalf of Leadnow
Sources
[1] https://sierraclub.bc.ca/rainforestisland/
[2-3]https://www.wildernesscommittee.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/2019_logging-old-growth_paper.pdf
[4] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-s-clear-cut-forests-are-dead-zones-emitting-more-greenhouse-gases-than-they-absorb-new-report-finds-1.5398660
[5] https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/09/20/opinion/debunking-old-growth-forest-claims-british-columbia
[6] https://sierraclub.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/Save-Old-Growth-Infosheet-web.pdf