How we value forests is changing, and our management strategy is often playing catch up. As a result, forest management in British Columbia is undergoing a paradigm shift. It is a values shift. A more holistic approach to managing forests that accounts for more than just the sustainability of trees. Old Growth was the lighting rod, ecosystem health is the goal. Garry Merkel came on to give us the run down how things area changing and why.

Resources

A New Future For Old Forests: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/forestry/stewardship/old-growth-forests/strategic-review-20200430.pdf 

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA): https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/indigenous-people/new-relationship/united-nations-declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples

Sponsors

West Fraser

GreenLink Forestry Inc.

Quotes

08.32 - 08.55: “The forest is not the ecosystem; the forest is the product of the ecosystem. The ecosystem is the whole environment - all the species together, the relationships between those, the different water cycles, carbon cycles, sun, etc… that all result in conditions that can foster certain kinds of forests.”

Takeaways

A change is needed (04.48)

Garry shares that people are unhappy with the way forests are managed unsustainably and with values compromised.

Trees are not commodities (08.24)

Garry explains that a forest that is burnt or blows over comes back as the same forest in an intact ecosystem.

Co Governance (11.45)

Garry and Al recommended that the BC Government build a strategy collaboratively with the Indigenous community to prioritise ecosystem health with consistent policies in a 3 zone framework.

Preserving old growth (15.39)

Garry suggests changing silviculture practices from clear cut to more natural disturbance type to maintain ecosystems and increase the targets for old growth.

A big societal shift (20.50)

Garry believes the shift to protecting old growth requires three big shifts - shifting to joint governance with Indigenous communities, shifting to inclusive, multi-sectoral regional based planning and decision making and shifting our entire mental framework from focusing on individual resources to focusing on ecosystems.

Sustainability is the journey (26.20)

Garry thinks this shift will be more sustainable even as it changes our economic relationships with the land.

“Life is what happens when you are planning what to do” (39.57)

Garry speaks about the challenges of implementing changes with COVID and the varied 200+ First Nations in BC. He is working on implementing the Forest Landscape Plan in BC.

Preserving forest values (45.15)

Garry laments that there are processes currently taking place that haven’t received consent from First Nations and that not all percentages of old growth protection have been met.

“Moving at the speed of understanding and trust” (1.00.46)

Garry observes that many industries are realizing the importance of a holistic approach to land management.

Science and wisdom (1.10.12)

Garry suggests each individual begin their own learning journey, communicate their vision with their local representatives and learn from Indigenous wisdom about land management.

The paradigm shift (1.15.47)

Garry explains, “A paradigm shift is simply a significant change in thought”, and action follows a paradigm shift.

Living in harmony with nature (1.21.48)

Garry shares how different countries have adopted different land management practices and how they are transforming their approaches.