Yellow Cedar

Hi Kevin, feel free to email me at benbarclay@golden.net. I'm working on how much biomass is lost in a clearcut through clearcutting primary forest through a 40-60-80 year cutting cycle. As well as total biomass, also: ecosystem services, like extreme fire suppression, flood control, beetle resilience, water management or retention. I sense you could help me do the math. It would be amazing to come up with some basic numbers for different ecosystems, and planting success rates. Could form the basis of a lawsuit seeking an injunction against clearcutting and cutting old growth. PS: I planted 300,000 trees in the 1980's. You and I were thinking the exact same thoughts, from different ends of the situation, lol.

Ah, the truth is so sweet, like a clear, clean drink of water from a mountain stream. Suzanne Simard demonstrated to us down at Fairy Creek last month, that 2nd growth only contains 40% the biomass of primary forest, even after it "grows back". Biomass includes topsoil, roots, mycorrizhae, humus, moss, wood, etc. So those clearcut patches that keep growing like cancers on the screen in the time lapse video, even when they green up, have less than 40% the capacity of primary forests, or even well managed forests, to retain moisture. Before they green up, almost no biomass. Over a 60 year re-cut period, plantations probably average 20%. So that means we have 25 million hectares of what industry calls we call "fibre inventory" in BC that is only operating at 20% capacity to retain moisture. Conversely, I live in a primary, indeed primeval forest. In the summer heat dome, air temperature was 26C under the canopy. Lightning struck, no fire started. This fall, we had more rain than ever since Sept 1, an inch a day at times. 2-3 storms, with winds 50-70 mph. Not one tree fell. No erosion anywhere. To paraphrase the sharks in Finding Nemo, repeat after me: "Forests are Friends, not Fibre". How is this supposed to retain moisture? (TJ Watt photo).

TJ is both an insightful scientist, and a great artist. He brings the story of the destruction of the ancient temperate rainforest to people all around the world, with great clarity, and emotional impact. His photos tell the truth that we do not practice forestry, but deforestation.

Hi - fabulous article, thanks. Could you please put a link to the legislation in, and add a map defining this "coastal" range, and a chart of tree species and diameters, at what height off the ground? We'd like to measure the Grandfather Tree at Fairy Creek, and others. Is the new legislation just on BCTS land? Last time I was in Cathedral Grove, most of it had blown down. The sign board says: "Windfall is a natural event". Next time I go through I'm taking a magic marker and writing "Yes, but not this windfall, which was caused by clearcutting the whole valley to ribbons." Forests need to be forests, not postage stamps.

Hi Don, the bark beetles have been co-existing with pine trees for 70 million years. The deadly mix of clearcutting, monoculture planting, and global warming (which is caused by clearcutting), have triggered the bark beetle catastrophe we are experiencing. Banning clearcutting is the simple, and in fact, only solution to bark beetle imbalance. Agreed it will take time to fix, but "the longest journey is the one not started". In the meantime, heavy planting and only partial cutting of the dead trees would help, instead of just re-starting the clearcutting cycle ad nauseum. cheers

Hi Don, the bark beetles have been co-existing with pine trees for 70 million years. The deadly mix of clearcutting, monoculture planting, and global warming (which is caused by clearcutting), have triggered the bark beetle catastrophe we are experiencing. Banning clearcutting is the simple, and in fact, only solution to bark beetle imbalance. Agreed it will take time to fix, but "the longest journey is the one not started". In the meantime, heavy planting and only partial cutting of the dead trees would help, instead of just re-starting the clearcutting cycle ad nauseum. cheers

John Horgan could pass the legislation that would replace the suicidal economic model you mention, and replace it with something truly sustainable and respectful. That is why we elect leadership. Seems to make sense to invite him. What's your plan for changing the system without involving the BC legislature?

John Horgan could pass the legislation that would replace the suicidal economic model you mention, and replace it with something truly sustainable and respectful. That is why we elect leadership. Seems to make sense to invite him. What's your plan for changing the system without involving the BC legislature?

All we are saying, is to switch those jobs from harvesting old growth to second growth, and clearcutting to 100% biomass retention forestry. That will bring us more jobs, and more provincial income. A tiny seedling does not replace a 1,000 year old tree. A monoculture plantation does not replace a forest. This is not about "Jobs vs The Environment", this is about whether we are going to give our children a dead planet to live on, or not. The old growth will be gone in 8 years. Why not stop now? Give this a read: https://www.straight.com/news/ben-barclay-will-fairy-creek-become-a-turning-point-in-human-history best wishes

All we are saying, is to switch those jobs from harvesting old growth to second growth, and clearcutting to 100% biomass retention forestry. That will bring us more jobs, and more provincial income. A tiny seedling does not replace a 1,000 year old tree. A monoculture plantation does not replace a forest. This is not about "Jobs vs The Environment", this is about whether we are going to give our children a dead planet to live on, or not. The old growth will be gone in 8 years. Why not stop now? Give this a read: https://www.straight.com/news/ben-barclay-will-fairy-creek-become-a-turning-point-in-human-history best wishes

Great article. Clearcutting got us into this mess. Single tree selective forestry will get us out of it. I live in a primeval forest in Clayoquot Sound, where there is no fire threat. Lightning struck near my cabin the other night, but I was able to simply enjoy the elemental thrill. The densest biomass per square metre on the planet holds moisture. The full canopy protects the soil from fully drying out. The thick bark keeps the big old trees safe. There are no brushpiles, no monoculture plantations jammed with conifers to burn like a torch. No need for "chainsaw medicine". The Menominee Nation have been practicing 100% biomass retention forestry for 130 years on their reserve in Wisconsin and have never had an extreme fire. And still the NDP won't sit down and talk with Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones at Fairy Creek. He's my favourite forester. Here's one of his gems: "You don't go up to the forest to cut it down, you go up to ask the great mother what she wants you to do".

Great article. Clearcutting got us into this mess. Single tree selective forestry will get us out of it. I live in a primeval forest in Clayoquot Sound, where there is no fire threat. Lightning struck near my cabin the other night, but I was able to simply enjoy the elemental thrill. The densest biomass per square metre on the planet holds moisture. The full canopy protects the soil from fully drying out. The thick bark keeps the big old trees safe. There are no brushpiles, no monoculture plantations jammed with conifers to burn like a torch. No need for "chainsaw medicine". The Menominee Nation have been practicing 100% biomass retention forestry for 130 years on their reserve in Wisconsin and have never had an extreme fire. And still the NDP won't sit down and talk with Pacheedaht Elder Bill Jones at Fairy Creek. He's my favourite forester. Here's one of his gems: "You don't go up to the forest to cut it down, you go up to ask the great mother what she wants you to do".

Great stuff Herb. I have a suggestion: that we don't use arbitrary goals like "50% of current AAC", and instead take a science based approach and limit AAC to 75% of growth in mature forests, and 40% of growth in recovering clearcuts, (until they recover), based on pre-contact levels. cheers Ben

Great stuff Herb. I have a suggestion: that we don't use arbitrary goals like "50% of current AAC", and instead take a science based approach and limit AAC to 75% of growth in mature forests, and 40% of growth in recovering clearcuts, (until they recover), based on pre-contact levels. cheers Ben

It really is. There was a sexual assault yesterday, of the same kind that got New York Governor Cuomo removed. Who polices the police?