Thread by @Lidsville

Vancouver Sun: "Scientists conclude B.C.'s count of old-growth forest greatly overestimated" (It's not 13.2m hectares; it's 35,000 hectares!)
We're lucky to have this fully independent report from forest scientists that contradicts govt figures. #bcpoli vancouversun.com/news/local-new…

..To put these BC old growth forest figures into perspective:
* BC = 95 million hectares or the size of WA, Oregon & California combined
* BC govt says ~13m hectares of old growth remains
* Independent report says only 35,000 hectares remains: size of 86 Stanley Parks.
#bcpoli

..This is a massive discrepancy between what the BC govt claims is left of old growth forests and what this independent report by renowned forest scientists says is really left of old growth forests. You MUST respond to this, @DonaldsonDoug @jjhorgan @GeorgeHeyman. #bcpoli

@DonaldsonDoug @jjhorgan @GeorgeHeyman ..Here's an example of what BC forest scientists and economists are saying on a forestry thread I am on. Compare these extensive costs to the public vs. the piddling profits BC is making on the trees we are giving away to logging companies for peanuts: #bcpoli

@DonaldsonDoug @jjhorgan @GeorgeHeyman ..Where the hell are you, Forests Minister @DonaldsonDoug? Environment Minister @GeorgeHeyman? #bcpoli

@DonaldsonDoug @jjhorgan @GeorgeHeyman ..Furthermore, the increasingly opaque Ministry of Forests (FLNRORD: Forests Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Dev't) isn't responding to media enquiries, & appears to have taken the Timber Supply Review offline so public can't access. UNACCEPTABLE. #bcpoli #oldgrowth

@DonaldsonDoug @jjhorgan @GeorgeHeyman ..BC forestry info used to be publicly available. The Liberal gov't did stop some reporting, & cut staff (which is a classic way to obscure activity) but it at least always responded to inquiries from the press. Why this increased level of censorship by an NDP gov't? #bcpoli

@DonaldsonDoug @jjhorgan @GeorgeHeyman ..A professional forester tells us that forest inventory inquiries to BC govt used to have a 3-day turn around. None of that exists anymore. Can you tell us why, Minister @DonaldsonDoug & Premier @jjhorgan? What are you hiding? The end of most remaining old growth forest? #bcpoli

More reading: "Scientists say BC Ministry of Forests' account of remaining old growth is "very misleading".. new indep. report on BC old-growth forest says only 415,000 hectares remain (only 35,000 ha of which is big tree/high biodiversity forest) focusonvictoria.ca/issue-analysis… #bcpoli

..Here are some recent stories in @thenarwhal (the single best source for news on BC's famous forests & their destruction) detailing the BC govt's failures to protect what little old growth forest BC has left. Links to follow. #bcpoli

@thenarwhal ..1. "B.C. opens Sunshine Coast forest — home to some of Canada’s oldest trees — to logging: Local conservation group asks province to cancel cutblocks containing ancient yellow cedars and unofficial bear sanctuary" #bcpoli thenarwhal.ca/bc-opens-sunsh…

@thenarwhal ..2. "B.C. approves 312 new logging clearcuts in habitat of endangered spotted owls..failing to produce the habitat plan for spotted owls it promised 14 years ago" #bcpoli thenarwhal.ca/b-c-approves-3…

@thenarwhal ..3. "B.C.’s forestry watchdog needs greater independence, ‘new path forward’: former board members" thenarwhal.ca/bc-forestry-wa… #bcpoli

@thenarwhal ..4. And again, for those who missed it: "B.C. govt old-growth data is ‘misleading’ public on remaining ancient forest: independent report" thenarwhal.ca/b-c-old-growth… #bcpoli

..And recall, Premier @jjhorgan picked Blair Lekstrom (!) to liaise with local communities on First Nations asking for preservation of old forest in NE BC to ensure survival of dwindling, forest-dependent southern mountain caribou.. Cynical. #bcpoli