I w
as pleased to join with Minister Doug Donaldson, MLA for Stikine as he announced the province’s first step in a new approach to old-growth management. The B.C. government is protecting 54 exceptionally large and old trees, each surrounded by a one-hectare grove to act as a buffer zone. Further opportunities to add to this list will be made available as additional trees are identified and verified.
The old-growth plan will include permanent regulation changes to protect big trees. Beginning this fall, an independent two-person panel will engage with First Nations, industry, stakeholders and communities on old-growth management. The panel will report back to government next spring.