Tenzin Clegg
It is an irrefutable fact that the logging industry has done what feels like irreversible damage to British Columbia’s beautiful forest ecosystems. For the last 200 years, logging and lumber have been one of the province’s main practices for export and job opportunities. Since 1820, companies have been logging ancient old-growth forests, including countless 1000+ year-old trees resulting in a staggeringly low amount of old-growth trees in the province and contributing negatively to BC’s overall GHG emissions.
As a Nanaimo-born and raised resident of BC, I, among countless others am devastated at the amount of the province that has been clear-cut, as so many BC residents feel so connected to the beautiful and diverse forests the province offers. A trip to somewhere like Cathedral Grove or the protected portions of logging roads of Port Renfrew should be enough to make anybody feel devastated about how much old growth has been lost. A thought that leaves me even more devastated is the fact that in the past, all of Vancouver Island and BC was old growth, with similar or even bigger tree sizes to the aforementioned big tree locations.
It is difficult to see what has happened to BC, on an emotional level it is already extremely hard to swallow the reality of it, but to make matters worse, the effects of logging in terms of the environment are equally as devastating as the aesthetic and emotional effect of it. Environmentally speaking, cutting down the forests of BC has an indisputably negative effect, as massive amounts of carbon are released into the atmosphere when forests are logged. Trees are incredibly valuable pieces of nature, as they function as carbon absorbers in the atmosphere. The old-growth trees of BC are the most effective in the world at carbon sequestration (the process of CO2 being absorbed), so not only does cutting them down eventually release carbon into the atmosphere, but it also removes the biggest force we have to absorb carbon.
BC’s old-growth forests can absorb 1000 tonnes of carbon per hectare — one of the highest rates in the whole world.
Hennig
While trees are replantable (and it is legally required to replant trees after cutting them down), younger trees are not as adept as old-growth trees at carbon sequestration. It takes 13 years for new trees to begin absorbing meaningful amounts of carbon(Hennig), and even when they reach the age to absorb carbon, they simply aren’t the carbon-absorbing powerhouses that trees like “Lonely Doug” are.
Photos Courtesy of Tenzin Clegg
While the province has one of the lowest deforestation rates in the world(Haris), a study by Global Forest Watch states that the province lost 86,000 square kilometres of forests from 2001 to 2021—that’s the equivalent of two Vancouver Islands’ worth of land!
Despite having low deforestation rates compared to the rest of the world, facts and real-life evidence show us that a shocking amount of the province is clear cut and a huge chunk of BC that used to be old-growth isn’t anymore.
57% of the land in BC is covered in forests, which is a large reason behind why the province has low deforestation rates.
Haris
The devastating effects caused by centuries of deforestation cannot be taken lightly. While the economic importance of logging and the jobs it provides is valid, we must find more sustainable practices and solutions for the issue at hand. Logging has left an indelible mark on the province and it is our responsibility to preserve and protect the old growth that remains while finding sustainable ways forward.
But What Are Greenhouse Gases?
Greenhouse gases are gases released into the Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to climate change. Practices such as livestock farming, the use of motor vehicles, the manufacturing of cement, steel, and plastic, along with deforestation all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. GHGs are emitted naturally and have been for millions of years, it was only in the last roughly 200-300 years – since the start of the industrial revolution – that GHG emissions have become a huge problem for mankind. Human activity has increased atmospheric CO2 levels by 50% since before the Industrial Revolution.
How Dire is the Situation?
A report done by the Sierra Club of BC, a non-profit organization whose mission is “To support people stewarding abundant ecosystems and a stable climate, while building resilient, equitable communities.” reports that the province emitted 42 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere in 2019. Additionally, this deforestation prevented 26.5 million tonnes of CO2 from being removed from the atmosphere.
It is important to note, however, that this 42 million tonne figure was not included in BC’s official emissions report. News source “The Tyee” inquired about this with discrepancy the BC Government, and they responded by saying that “it is not international practice to include forest emissions, they’re really hard to calculate…” This omission raises valid questions about the province’s awareness and willingness to progress forward in an environmentally friendly way.
As a result of how adept BC forests are at capturing carbon, the province was a “carbon sink” between 1990 and 2002. This means that trees in the province stored more carbon than was released into the atmosphere. This changed in 2003, and we have since been a carbon source. A significant factor of this is due to the increase in natural disturbances, like forest fires and insect infestation. While we cannot control these natural disturbances, their impact would be much less damaging if harmed trees were salvaged and new trees were planted. Unfortunately, the province did not slow down with deforestation at all during this time, resulting in huge problems for the state of forests in BC.
The government of BC claimed in a 2021 article that “the vast majority of old growth is protected” in BC as it is protected or not economical to harvest. The article goes on to state that there are 13.7 million hectares of old growth left in the province, making up 23% of the province’s forests. Of this, 27% percent of that is “legal and economic to harvest”. The article spins this as something positive, but it is important to note that 27% of 13.7 million is 3.699 million. This means that 3.699 million hectares of old growth was still deemed as being acceptable to cut. For perspective, 3.699 million hectares is almost the size of Switzerland. This raises serious concerns about the state of the old-growth in the province, as the narrative from the provincial government fails to address the environmental effect of cutting down even a portion of the old-growth forests.
The Influence of Natural Occurences
While statistics show us that forests are being logged in high quantities, the loss of BC forests isn’t solely due to logging. The increase in the frequency of wildfires has contributed significantly to the rising carbon emissions. In 2017, wildfires accounted for 190 million tonnes of carbon to be released into the atmosphere(Hernandez).
It cannot be ignored that these wildfires began happening more frequently due to human activity, as more GHGs have been emitted in recent history than ever before. Wildfires are making it more difficult to deal with the forest carbon problem the province faces, as without the large chunk of land that burned, we have significantly less mature forest to offset the carbon already being released into the atmosphere from deforestation, vehicle use, and other sources. Companies are only required to plant trees in areas they have logged, and this combined with the wildfires makes it very difficult for BC to be a carbon sink – or to even come close to it.
Paths to a Sustainable Future
While deforestation is a huge problem environmentally and morally, making an argument to stop it entirely is challenging. This is because of several factors, like the large number of jobs it creates, and the economic value it brings to the country/province, but most importantly, the usage of lumber is more environmentally friendly than the use of its alternatives like concrete and steel.
The production of steel and concrete emits 26-31% more carbon than deforestation.
St Laurent, Hoberg
The housing crisis that the province faces and has faced for many years complicates the issue, making it extra impractical to stop deforestation. Since so many houses need to be built, it is a compelling argument to avoid reliance on concrete and steel, which are noticeably worse for the environment than lumber. Because it is not feasible to stop deforestation entirely, it is important to find paths to a sustainable future that balances environmental concerns with the need for housing.
The Government of British Columbia and the University of British Columbia have both published plans and mitigation tactics for moving forward in the most sustainable way possible. One of the more interesting mitigation tactics to assist in forest regeneration is the selective usage of seeds and fertilization. The Government of BC lists fertilization as a part of the “Forest Carbon Initiative”. The province has been fertilizing for decades to stimulate tree growth, spraying nitrogen and other nutrient on lands where trees are planted. Between 2017 and 2023, the province increased its fertilized area by 80,000 hectares.
Similarly, UBC published an article outlining ways to navigate the deforestation issue in Canada and identifies specific seeds as a way to promote healthier, fast-growing trees. The downside of these strategies is clear—even if we do everything we can to grow trees faster, nothing can replace a 650-year-old Douglas fir tree except time. This however is a positive way forward since trees will be cut down no matter what.
Another positive mitigation tactic being employed is salvage harvesting, a process in which you remove salvageable trees from a forest that was burnt or damaged. Burnt forests are always at a high risk of burning again, which can result in entire chunks of forest being lost without harvesting any, all while still releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. Since deforestation is not going to stop anytime soon, harvesting trees that are most susceptible to dying is a smart mitigation tactic that reduces overall tree loss while maximizing forest resources.
Another benefit of salvage harvesting is the clever utilization of trees that are too damaged to be used as foundational lumber. Trees that are dead or too damaged to be can be repurposed for bioenergy production. The benefits of salvage harvesting are overall immense, as it reduces carbon emissions, lowers the chances of forest fires, and protects healthy forests from being cleared.
Rehabilitation and reforestation is another excellent mitigation tactic to move forward with the issue of deforestation. While companies are required by law to plant new trees in clear-cut areas, they are not required to plant trees anywhere else. By planting trees in these barren areas, we can combat the declining forest rates to a greater extent. What’s more, is that a copious amount of the province was affected by insect infestation – particularly the pine beetle, If even half of that land were reforested, the province would be making significant progress towards a sustainable future.
Conclusion: A Path to Sustainability
Ultimately, while deforestation remains a critical environmental issue for British Colombia, the need for housing combined with the fact that lumber is the most sustainable and environmentally friendly material for infrastructure make it so that a full stop on deforestation is not feasible. Because of this, BC must find paths forward that balance environmental, economic, and social needs. The destruction of irreplaceable old-growth ecosystems cannot continue, but we still need to find ways to sustainably manage our forests and meet demands for housing and economic development. The government of BC and UBC have published tactics that are a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done. Many of the mitigation tactics suggested by UBC are not employed by the government, and it is clear through the government’s unwillingness to publish forest emission reports that there is much more improvement to be done. To ensure a sustainable future, stronger policies must be implemented to protect old-growth forests. British Colombia would not be the province it is today without old-growth forests.
Sources Used
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Forest Carbon Initiative. “Forest Carbon Initiative.” Province of British Columbia, Province of British Columbia, 6 Aug. 2024, www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/natural-resource-stewardship/natural-resources-climate-change/natural-resources-climate-change-mitigation/forest-carbon-initiative
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Hennig, Claire. “B.C.’s Clear-Cut Forests Are ‘dead Zones,’ Emitting More Greenhouse Gases than Fossil Fuels, Report Finds | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 19 Dec. 2019, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-s-clear-cut-forests-are-dead-zones-emitting-more-greenhouse-gases-than-fossil-fuels-report-finds-1.5398660#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20environmental%20group’s,to%20absorb%20the%20additional%20carbon.
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