Just received: this message which the Healthy Forest Coalition sent to party leaders yesterday (Nov 7, 2024):
NATURE PROTECTION FIRST
NOT LAST
 The value of forests is changing. The way we treat them must change too.
We are all stakeholders in a livable planet. Protecting and restoring ecosystem health must be the overarching priority in how forests are managed.
We call on government to:
- Meet the mandated targets of permanently protecting 15% of our lands and waters by March 2026 and 20% by 2030.
- Put forward a large slate of proposed new protected areas of public (Crown) land to meet these commitment.
- Pause all harvesting, road building and industrial development in proposed protected areas as well as Crown land forests over 80 years old until they have been assessed for protection and the 20% target is met.
- Strengthen watershed protection, prioritize wetland health and increase buffers along watercourses from 20m to 60m.
- Engage First Nations, local communities, scientists, businesses, environmental organizations and recreational users in valuing forest resources and allocating them through a process of landscape level planning.
- Improve transparency and communications with the public and make current data for our forests publicly available.
- Assess rigorously all ‘green’ industry claims, weighing them against compelling evidence that preserving mature, natural forests is a simple, effective and affordable way to address the climate and biodiversity crises.
Right now, our government appears to be offering up our forest resources — whether as fiber, biofuel or real estate for wind turbines — to any company offering economic growth, seemingly forgetting the commitments it has already made to protecting the health of our lands and waters and all who depend on them. The promises of new industries must be weighed against the costs. Wealth without ecosystem health is worthless.
Will you and your party put nature protection first, not last, ending log now, save later and acting with the urgency required to protect 20% of our province by 2030?
From the Healthy Forests Coalition |
