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Letter: Don’t believe the hype about old-growth logging

I switched from a career in healthcare to the forestry sector because I wanted to be part of something that was quintessentially B.C., felt meaningful, and connected me to one of the many things I love about living in this province
Forestry
B.C. will always have old forests, and they are protected, says letter writer Jennifer Kramer.

I proudly work in the forest industry for an association that represents timber harvesting contractors — the hard-working multi-generations of men and women who cut down trees. They’re not big lumber companies; they’re small business owners just like those in the tourism and hospitality sectors that people are so eager to support and protect from going out of business.

If you knew your actions would cause these businesses to close, would you continue?

A large portion of the billions in revenues generated from the high-risk work that timber harvesting contractors do in a very small portion of B.C.’s sustainably managed forests goes back into the community and the rest to the provincial government to pay for the healthcare, schools, social services, and lifestyle we are all fortunate to enjoy.

If you knew that your actions would impair that, would you continue?

I switched from a career in healthcare to the forestry sector because I wanted to be part of something that was quintessentially B.C., felt meaningful, and connected me to one of the many things I love about living in this province.

I’ve learned that forestry is incredibly complex, often misunderstood by the public, and the industry is adapting quickly to see positive changes made, which benefit the province.

There’s nothing I love more than to ski, hike, and mountain bike the trails and roads that were made possible because of forestry and built what Squamish and Whistler are today.

I think many people might be surprised to know that annually less than one-third of 1% of B.C.’s forests are harvested, only 0.1% of the total forest area harvested is old growth, and 300 million trees are replanted. I take comfort in knowing that the industry is heavily regulated, and there are laws in place to ensure B.C. will always have old forests, and they are protected.

So, educate yourself before you jump on the bandwagon and believe the inaccuracies and blatant lies you read and hear from misinformed spokespeople representing some environmental organizations whose goal is to discredit the largest resource that supports this province.

They disregard the essential role of our resource communities and dismiss the opportunity to work with them cooperatively. Talk to a professional forester, read factual and reliable resources from the government, Forestry Innovation Investment, and the Forest Products Association of Canada. And don’t believe the hype.

Jennifer Kramer,

Director of communications with the Truck Loggers Association

Squamish

 

**Please note, this letter was updated since it was first posted on April 29, to include the position Kramer holds.

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