Thread by @Tzeporah

BC Government Old Growth Panel in new report: Despite commitments on old growth management: No review in 20 years, No monitoring, No system to track compliance, No evaluation, previous recommendations not implemented. #bcpoli

"We also encourage you to consider our recommendations as a whole. Had previous old forest strategies and recommendations been fully implemented, we would likely not be facing the challenges around old growth to the extent we are today." pg 3 Amen to that. engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/si…

Impressive extensive process in a short time. 800 direct conversations and thousands of surveys and written submissions.

current challenges: high risk loss of biodiversity in many ecosystems, uncertainty and conflict, widespread lack of confidence in system of managing forests "continuing to apply the policy approaches that brought us to this point will not provide a sustainable solution." pg 6

"the conditions that exist in many of these forests and ecosystems are also simply non-renewable in any reasonable time frame." pg 14

"despite the good intentions and efforts of many people...the overall system of forest management has not supported the effective implementation or achievement of the stated and legislated public objectives for old forests." pg 14

Recommendations extensive, summarized pg 15. All very good, echo what we have been hearing from indigenous leaders &scientists. some highlights: Declare conservation of ecosystem health and biodiversity of BC's forests as an overarching priority & enact legislation

Number 6 is exactly what the scientists recommended and what the @standearth & others have been asking for! "Until a new strategy is implemented, defer development in old forests where ecosystems are at very high and near-term risk of irreversible biodiversity loss" #bcpoli

Okay let's turn to the response government has rushed out at the same time as the report: Great they are saying engage full involvement of indigenous leaders and organizations. Like the framing re ending divisive practices and patchwork approach.

hmmm..Minister Donaldson takes a run at scientists & environmental organizations using industry PR lines re "those calling for immediate moratoriums..ignoring needs of tens of thousands of workers." this is untrue. It is factually incorrect.

We are not ignoring the needs, in fact we have been calling for more jobs with a value added strategy & better management means better forest health & longer term jobs. Most importantly we were only calling for deferral on the critical productive old growth less than 400,000 h.

Government is announcing some deferrals which is fantastic! Strangely list seems to include areas that were already announced, doesn't track w/ panel recs for deferral? Why ask a panel experts to work this hard & then ignore what they say must be acted on as quickly as possible?

For reference here is what the Old Growth Panel recommends for immediate deferral. Exactly what other scientists recommended & tracks with the 400,000 hectares @standearth & thousands others have been asking to be deferred? Doesn't look like that is what BC did today...#bcpoli

Okay were are we at? Really important Old Growth Panel report. Some first steps (as they said in release) taken by @DonaldsonDoug to defer some old growth logging but strangely falls short of their own panel of experts recs for immediate action in old growth areas at risk #bcpoli