In late 2022, the Prince George Natural Resource District implemented 250,000 hectares of mapped ‘no harvest’ areas in response to a Forest Practices Board (‘Board’) investigation on industrial logging of old growth forests.

In their 2020 investigation, the Board found that biodiversity was at high risk in the Prince George Timber Supply Area. Biodiversity is the number and variety of native plants, animals and other organisms.

The Board’s 2020 investigation report made two key recommendations. The first is that the BC government map the existing old growth intended to meet the old guidelines. The second is that BC “review and update” the old guidelines for biodiversity in the region to bring it in line with current science and to minimize risk of ecological collapse.

In December, via a letter of expectation to logging companies, the BC government followed through with the first recommendation by notifying them that they are expected to not log in mapped ‘no harvest’ areas in order to meet the minimum forest protection targets of the old Biodiversity Order. The Biodiversity Order is a document that contains the legal requirement for licensees to retain old forest in their operating areas.

“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,” explains Conservation North’s director Michelle Connolly. “Now that the first recommendation has been addressed, the BC government must act on the second one.”

“The Biodiversity Order, which dates back to 2004, 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,” asserts Conservation North’s Asta Glembotzski.

The Forest Practices Board investigation was triggered by complaints from the public who observed extreme levels of logging in endangered old growth forests north of Prince George. The Board concluded that plants and animals are at high risk of irreversible loss in most of the Prince George District because of industrial logging. This includes the globally rare inland temperate and boreal rainforests. Conservation North will continue to push the BC government to update the biodiversity requirements in our region.