Parkland goal of 12% troubles forest firms
Copyright 2000, Vancouver Sun
September 26, 2000
Gordon Hamilton Vancouver Sun
The goal of preserving 12 per cent of B.C. as parkland is "just a number," Premier Ujjal Dosanjh said Monday, increasing forest industry worries that the NDP government intends to further restrict logging in the province.
Dosanjh said he wants to see as much of the province protected as possible to ensure a sustainable environment and forest industry, but refused to commit to holding park creation at 12 per cent, a goal set by the NDP in 1992.
The province is approaching the 12-per-cent level, and a leaked pre-election strategy paper indicates the NDP intends to move into a second phase of park creation, beginning in January. Dosanjh was vague when asked if he supports the 12-per-cent commitment.
"These are just numbers aren't they? Twelve per cent was a concept."
The premier's comments -- made after a speech in Richmond to IWA-Canada members at their annual convention -- raised concerns in the forest industry.
"We really don't know what the true intention of the government is," said Brian Zak of the Coast Forest & Lumber Association. "On the coast right now we are sitting at 13.3 per cent protected and 17.2 per cent at working forest. So, we worry that continued erosion will take that 13 per cent a lot higher and that there will be major hits against the remaining 17.2 per cent working forest."
IWA-Canada president Dave Haggard said his union, which represents loggers and woodworkers, said setting aside more than 12 per cent for parks is "absolutely asinine."
"We support the 12 per cent parks in total and we sure as hell don't support going over that. We would fight bloody blue murder to stop them from going down that path."
He warned that a green agenda could alienate working voters.
"We are very concerned about the green initiative. We are not always in the same ballpark with the greens on where we should go and how we should get there. So, we would be pretty concerned if the government moved toward a more green agenda than what they already have out there. It would have a detrimental effect on our membership."
But Joe Foy, of the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, said 12 per cent is not enough.
"Of course, we have to protect more than 12 per cent," he said, noting that the Alaskan panhandle, which is similar to the northwest B.C. coast, has 40 per cent of the land under protection.
He also said if more parkland is to be created, then the government should stop logging now in areas deemed critical by environmentalists, such as the Elaho Valley north of Squamish.