Anger creates: – Nausea

Pictures of an old tree felled in Canada are angering activists.

They believe that vulnerable ecosystems are at risk when logging companies rush to cut trees, before the country’s logging rules get tougher.

In an effort to preserve ancient forests, TJ Watt and colleague Ian Thomas of the environmental group Ancient Forest Alliance traveled to a site where red cedar trees have grown for hundreds of years on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

Soon after they arrived on the island, the discussion really heated up. In the forest there were hundreds of trees that had been cut down recently.

– It is very disturbing to see trees lying on the ground, and to think that they have lived for more than 500 years. Watt says she can suddenly disappear in an instant, never to be seen again Watchman.

Watt’s photographs have been used to highlight the dramatic change in landscape as trees are felled. In particular, it focuses on ancient forests with giant trees, which are several hundred years old.

transcend the indigenous population

In November 2021, when citizen frustration escalated dramatically over the destruction of ancient trees, the British Columbia government postponed the logging of 2.6 million hectares of the most vulnerable forests.

The government has also pledged to protect 30 percent of the province’s land area by 2030, as part of Canada’s larger effort to meet biodiversity conservation goals.

They have proposed several regions they want to protect, but many provinces have had problems. Since the delays, only half of the proposed areas have been agreed upon with indigenous peoples, who must agree to stop logging.

A number of Indigenous peoples are actively involved in Canada’s lumber industry and fear a drop in income if logging on their land is stopped.

Groups such as the Ancient Forest Alliance say more funding is needed to help replace lost forest income for indigenous peoples, known as First Nations in Canada.

210 years – not enough

The tree found by Watt and Thomas, at the top of this article, is believed to be 210 years old. This means that the tree was younger than the county’s threshold for being considered old growth, which equates to 250 years.

It was Western Forest Products that cut down the tree and estimated its age. They did not respond to the guard’s inquiries.

— it just underscores the fact that the lumber industry is struggling to cut down the biggest and best trees while they still can, says Watt.

Death bee attack – six dead

Currently, there are no established methods for defining forests with trees old enough to be preserved. The provinces have admitted that the data on this matter is somewhat incomplete.

– We said that residents and researchers should be able to travel and identify and indicate which areas to postpone. Logging companies should be required to do this before proceeding, says Watt:

Progress has been made, but it is clear that gaps remain. We need to make sure that provinces live up to all their obligations to protect these threatened ecosystems, and not let anything slip through the cracks, says Watt.