Conservation North is applauding the Prince George Natural Resource District for acting on the first recommendation from the Forest Practices Board regarding old growth forests and is now urging the provincial government to follow up on the second one.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Prince George-based conservation group says mapping of old growth within the Prince George Timber Supply Area was completed in December 2022 – as recommended by the FPB following a 2020 investigation of industrial logging of old growth forests in the TSA.
The next step, according to the group, is to update a “biodiversity order” to better protect old growth forests.
“We are pleased the District followed through on the first recommendation of the Forest Practices Board by mapping old forest areas and notifying licensees to stay out of those areas,” Conservation North director Michelle Connolly said in the statement. “Now that the first recommendation has been addressed, the B.C. government must act on the second one, which is even more critical for nature in our region.”
Group member Asta Glembotzski said the order dates back to to 2004 and is “not based on science whatsoever. The targets within it need to be updated. If we don’t do that, we’re going to lose more wildlife habitat, and therefore more wildlife.”
The Citizen has reached out to the Ministry of Forests for comment.