Old growth protections in British Columbia: A comparative analysis

Old Growth forests play a crucial role in BC's multi-billion dollar logging industry. When left standing, Old Growth forests provide economic contributions through tourism, recreation, carbon storage, water conservation and filtration, recreational and commercial fisheries, and non-timber forest products. By preserving Old Growth forests, local communities across British Columbia can reap the benefits of long-term, sustainable revenues and employment opportunities. The current Old Growth protections implemented by the BC Government do little to consider factors such as productivity or biogeoclimatic stratification resulting in protections that focus on high-elevation, low-productivity ecosystems. To address this issue, I have considered four policy options to address the limited protections for Old Growth. These options include Old Growth deferrals, the development of a sustainable Second-growth forestry industry, phasing out Old Growth logging, and implementing a Community-based management system.