By Sydney Lobe, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter CANADA害羞草研究所橲 NATIONAL OBSERVER

Years ago, ecologist Dr. Karen Price walked through a forest ravaged by wildfire that had been logged and replanted. It was a uniform mass of pine trees, devoid of birds and wildlife 害羞草研究所� it was 害羞草研究所渆cologically boring,害羞草研究所� she recalls.

By contrast, the nearby eco reserve 害羞草研究所� which had also burned, but was left undisturbed 害羞草研究所� was a sound bath of bird calls and rustling leaves, and home to rare wildlife like goshawks.

She notes that while this is just an anecdote, the juxtaposition was a more powerful illustration of the difference between a forest logged for 害羞草研究所渟alvage lumber害羞草研究所� and one left to regrow naturally than she害羞草研究所檇 seen in any graphs of young forests.

Price, alongside other experts, is expressing concern that salvage logging 害羞草研究所� the process of logging wildfire-disturbed forests 害羞草研究所� has no ecological benefit and contradicts B.C.害羞草研究所檚 promise to prioritize ecosystem health over timber. They say, in that context, the process should be reconsidered.

However, the B.C. government released new regulations in April that expedite the practice.

The 2023 wildfires were the most destructive in B.C.害羞草研究所檚 history, and burned out more than 2.8 million hectares of forest. In April, the provincial government introduced new measures that make logging wildfire-damaged timber easier and 害羞草研究所渕ore economic害羞草研究所� for forestry operations and First Nations, according to a press release accompanying the change.

The release explains that 害羞草研究所渟alvage allows for quicker reforestation efforts and land recovery after wildfires,害羞草研究所� and the new measures streamline the process to allow for these outcomes.

In a panel facilitated by Conservation North, an environmental group, many experts agreed that salvage logging is carried out to compensate for lost timber profits post-fire, but reforestation and land recovery actually occur more productively without such interference.

害羞草研究所淲e always think we have to do something, that we have to fix something,害羞草研究所� Price told Canada害羞草研究所檚 National Observer. 害羞草研究所淥ften, the best action to restore an ecosystem is to let it restore itself. Nature does better than humans.害羞草研究所�

The Draft B.C. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Framework, introduced in 2023, describes a vision for resource management that focuses on protecting biodiversity and ecosystem health.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e come from a long history of industrialized forestry,害羞草研究所� says Lennard Joe, CEO of the BC First Nations Forestry Council, as well as a registered professional forester and member of the Nlaka害羞草研究所檖amux First Nation. 害羞草研究所淣ow we害羞草研究所檙e being faced with changes in climate, and it害羞草研究所檚 extreme. We害羞草研究所檝e got to find ways to move forward.害羞草研究所�

The Old Growth Strategic Review, another effort to reevaluate the province害羞草研究所檚 natural resource priorities and old growth management, acknowledges that 害羞草研究所渟ociety is undergoing a paradigm shift in its relationship with the environment, and the way we manage our old forests needs to adapt accordingly.害羞草研究所�

Price says the move to streamline salvage logging is 害羞草研究所渧ery concerning, because it goes against any potential `paradigm shift.害羞草研究所澓π卟菅芯克鶛

Eddie Petryshen, a conservation specialist with environmental advocacy group Wildsight, says the continued practice of salvage logging hinges on a misunderstanding. Also sometimes called harvest or sanitation logging 害羞草研究所� and said to promote 害羞草研究所渞enewal害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渞ecovery害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� the implication is that the practice fosters a healthier, more resilient ecosystem, he says.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e acting like that害羞草研究所檚 a really good thing to be happening on the landscape and that we need to streamline it to make it easier to incentivize it,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淭his is what some of the world害羞草研究所檚 best forest ecologists call `attacks on natural ecological recovery.害羞草研究所澓π卟菅芯克鶛

Price agrees. 害羞草研究所淟ogging is logging,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檙e removing trees from an ecosystem. And in that perspective, it doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter if you害羞草研究所檙e removing it from a live forest or dead forest.害羞草研究所�

Price explains that actually, dead trees often have as much or more ecological value as live trees. They continue to store carbon, benefit species that rely on dead or burnt wood and create a biodiverse environment.

Areas where salvage logging and replanting occurs often become 害羞草研究所渂iological deserts,害羞草研究所� she says, removing natural complexity that is essential for the wellbeing of forests. Disturbed trees, fallen logs, and snags (dead trees left upright to degrade) all contribute to a healthier ecosystem than those that develop after salvage and replanting.

The ministry argued in a statement that salvage logging makes forests more resilient against wildfire.

害羞草研究所淏y salvaging dead and dying trees, we are reducing fuel and the risk of future wildfires,害羞草研究所� the ministry said in a statement. Experts outside the government disagree, saying salvage and replanting can actually increase that fuel, as well as the severity of future burns. On the other hand, burned forests left alone can resist wildfire for at least 20 years.

A 2021 study from Forest Ecology and Management concludes that 害羞草研究所渟alvage logging does not necessarily prevent subsequent disturbances, and sometimes it may increase disturbance likelihood and magnitude.害羞草研究所�

For Price, a wealth of factors 害羞草研究所� the primary values of the specific ecosystem in question, what kinds of trees are being harvested and fire severity 害羞草研究所� need to be considered for salvage to take place in a way that honours a shift away from timber-centric values.

But Petryshen explains that the province incentivizes salvage by reducing fees for logging burned wood and making regular adjustments to the amount of timber logging companies are allowed to log each year on the basis of how much burned wood is available to salvage 害羞草研究所� such as the changes made in April.

Since natural resources are managed provincially, salvage logging regulations vary province to province in Canada. In general, salvage logging is noted in different provinces害羞草研究所� forest legislation as an option following wildfire or other natural disturbances. Many provinces, including B.C., provide incentives for salvage, like reduced fees for harvesting, or adjusting a predetermined harvest volume to allow for salvage. In Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, the amount of harvest allowed per year can also be adjusted to account for the salvage of wildfire-burned areas.

Salvage logging is an economically important practice across the country. In B.C., companies and First Nations rely on salvage logging to compensate for timber lost to wildfires.

Joe, with the First Nations Forestry Council, notes that for the majority of First Nations reserves in rural areas in B.C., forestry is a primary economic business.

害羞草研究所淪alvage is a part of the process,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a number of things you have to balance when you look at it. 害羞草研究所� You can害羞草研究所檛 just do a simple brushstroke.害羞草研究所�

The Ministry of Forests said in its statement that values such as 害羞草研究所渞etention, watershed health, water quality, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, burn severity, hydrological systems, soil productivity, cultural values and reforestation害羞草研究所� must be considered when salvage logging.

For Price, the solution isn害羞草研究所檛 to do away with salvage logging altogether, it害羞草研究所檚 to reconsider the approach from a perspective that害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渆cologically based, so it puts ecological values at the forefront, adding timber as a service that the ecosystem provides for humans.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e are living amidst biodiversity and climate crises,害羞草研究所� she adds. 害羞草研究所淓very decision we make should be in that context.害羞草研究所�

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