Media spreading forestry misinformation
I am speaking for the silent majority who are tired of the media and special interest groups vilifying the forest industry that has supported our hospitals, schools, recreational parks, arenas, and roads for generations of British Columbians, not to mention all of the homes we live in.
The B.C. forest industry and the harvesting of the North Cowichan forest reserve is nothing like the Amazon deforestation, and I blame the media for spreading this misinformation. Our forestry practices, and legal biological regulations are world renowned for ensuring ecologically sustainable management. The media continues to promote a narrative filled with mistruth and not based on renewable forest management.
I urge the media to have the courage to interview registered professional foresters that have superbly managed the North Cowichan forest reserve and the forest industry for decades and inform the public about the greenest product in their home: lumber and paper. It’s biodegradable, renewable, and stores carbon. The millions of trees that are planted after harvest actually consume more carbon than the older stands. Please have the courage to give the readers an article on the value of a renewable green product that delivers real “green credits” without just giving other countries carte blanche to pollute using the carbon credit program.
There is misinformation circulating in North Cowichan that our forest reserve can supply taxpayers with more income from a carbon credit program than the mild harvesting that has occurred since 1946. The pressure from special interest groups to stop harvesting do not take into account the burden they are asking North Cowichan taxpayers to absorb. Surrey announced a 17.5 per cent property tax increase; we must not take this lightly, this could be North Cowichans future. My hope is that North Cowichan council fact check the UBC study that was written by employees of UBC that are affiliated with carbon programs. The survey based on that study gave taxpayers income estimates that were not accurate.
Marie Martin
North Cowichan