On Saturday, April 6, community groups across B.C. will march in support of updating the forestry rules to ensure they include sustainable forestry practices and meaningful community consultation about our forests.
Locally, there will be a march starting at the Courtenay courthouse at noon.
The walk will convene at Courthouse Park and proceed to the offices of NDP MLA Ronna-Rae Leonard MLA and Member of Parliament, Gord Johns (4527 5th Street).
Forest March BC (www.forestmarchbc.com) is an initiative of the BC Coalition for Forestry Reform, formed in the Interior one year ago. Vancouver Island Water Watch Coalition (of which Comox Valley Water Watch is a member), works with them.
All over the province, forests and - with them, watersheds, recreation and wildlife - are threatened by climate change, development and unsustainable logging practices. On Vancouver Island, the concerns are complicated by the preponderance of privately-owned, privately-managed forest lands.
Across the province, protection and restoration of our drinking watershed at source is the only possible alternative to building, operating, maintaining and staffing expensive water treatment facilities.
“Let’s work together to ensure sustainable forestry practices, meaningful community consultation and management,” said local organizer Linda Safford, in a press release. “Let’s update the rules by which forests are managed. Let’s rally for changes to forestry regulations.”