Surprise logging near world’s largest Douglas fir tree has Wilderness Committee demanding protection
BC Forest Ministry had claimed back in February “no immediate plans” to log near Red Creek Fir
Activists from the Wilderness Committee have discovered a logging operation too close for comfort to the Red Creek Fir, which is the largest Douglas fir tree known to exist on Earth. This despite a claim made by BC Forest Ministry spokesperson Vivian Thomas and reported in a February 25, 2010 article by Judith Lavoie that there were no immediate plans to log in the area.
Joan Varley, from the Wilderness Committee’s Victoria office, recently discovered, and photographed the logging operation which is within a kilometre of the giant tree and getting closer by the day. The Red Creek Fir is located 15 kilometers from Port Renfrew, on the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. The massive tree stands 73 meters high and is 13.3 meters around.
“We are extremely angry and frustrated to see this logging near by what is clearly one of the natural wonders of the world,” said Wilderness Committee National Campaign Director, Joe Foy. “Especially when the Forests Ministry led everyone to believe that this wouldn’t happen, and that we had time to work to preserve the area. The Forest Ministry should be ashamed.” Foy fumed.
“It is especially frustrating in the face of the recent Auditor General’s report on the state of BC’s park system which gives the BC government a failing grade and calls for an expansion of parks to conserve some of the amazing natural treasures we have. This logging operation is vandalizing a national natural treasure. The Red Creek Fir and surrounding forests should be protected and included in an expanded Pacific Rim National Park, as the local MP for Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, Keith Martin, is calling for,” said Foy.
Signs at the active logging site indicate the logging is being carried out under the BC Timber Sales provincial government program. According to signage on site the logging is under the control of Timber West Forest Corporation.
For more information please contact:
Joe Foy, National Campaign Director, Wilderness Committee, 604-880-2580
Tria Donaldson, Pacific Coast Campaigner, Wilderness Committee, 250-686-9249
