Currently, the heart of the tree The ongoing confrontation between demonstrators and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the Fairy Creek Valley on Vancouver Island.

Here are five things about old trees in British Columbia

What is considered an ancient growth tree in British Columbia?

Ancient growing trees vary in size and age, but the most common image is a huge tree protruding from the earth, extending 60 meters or more into the sky. The trunks of these trees are covered with dense bark, and it will be difficult for a family of four to hold hands and surround one hand.

Both environmentalists and loggers say that finding trees like this (such as cork, sitka spruce or Douglas fir) in forests is of great significance, usually at the bottom of lush valleys, where rainfall and nutrient access help For them to grow.

If there are trees more than 250 years old in the coastal forest, the province defines the coastal forest as old forest; and if the trees are at least 140 years old, the forest in the interior of British Columbia is considered old forest.

Why record old growing trees?

Province says The old growth tree became an “important” factor supporting the industry due to its value and quality. High-end and special products (such as high-end furniture, musical instruments, special finishing products, and rocking and shingle manufacturing) usually require the use of wood made from aged trees.

In the last fiscal year, the province stated that the forestry sector-related revenue was $1.3 billion, and the forestry sector employed more than 50,000 British Columbians. Including 5,300 indigenous people People who are directly engaged in the industry.

According to industry experts, the yield per hectare of a typical old coastal growth point can be as high as 1,500 to 1,800 cubic meters.In contrast, they said Second growth Forests-trees that grow after being felled or destroyed by natural disturbances such as wildfires-about one-third of the yield because they were harvested at a younger age.

Also in many areas, such as North Vancouver Island, because secondary forests are not large enough to be harvested, more old trees are recorded.

April speech At the BC Forestry Commission meeting, Provincial Forestry Minister Katrine Conroy did not say how the old growth will affect the future of the department. But Conroy is well aware that her government is committed to ensuring that forestry remains the province’s economic driver.

At the time she said: “The forestry industry in British Columbia will continue to provide opportunities and benefits to British Columbians over the past few decades.”

How much old growth is there in BC?

The province said that British Columbia currently has 13.7 million hectares of old farmland, of which 10 million hectares are protected or uneconomically harvested. For reference, the entire province has an area of ??about 95 million hectares, of which the forest area is about 57 million hectares.

About 20 million hectares of public forest in British Columbia are available for logging. According to the province, Of which 3.6 million hectares are old.

Every year, 200,000 hectares of forest land in British Columbia are cut down. The province stated that 27% of the harvest this year came from the old growth.

But in the past decade, conservation organizations such as the Ancient Forest League, Wilderness Commission, and the Sierra Club of BC have used provincial data to argue that old trees in areas where trees grow the most are being felled at an unsustainable rate.

Independent Scientist Group Made a report last June The report uses provincial data to show that in some of the densest and most lush forests, the oldest trees in British Columbia are on the verge of extinction.

The report found that areas where large trees can be planted account for less than 3% of the province, and “intensive logging” has removed a large number of old trees from almost all of these areas.

The report said: “These ecosystems are actually white rhinos in old growing forests.” “They have been almost wiped out and will not be able to recover from logging.”

Why protect old growth?

Environmentalists believe that the intact forests with old trees will help protect the province from future climate change disasters.

Likewise, the forests in which old trees grow are usually rich in biodiversity-which means they support many other plant and animal species, including some that cannot live in any other type of habitat.

These forests have dense canopies, dense bark, extensive root systems and spaces between them, which help prevent the spread of forest fires, landslides and floods, and protect water sources.

Even old trees that die and fall to the ground and rot will help the remaining forests around them by providing nutrients and habitat for other species.

Watch | Why is the “mother tree” important in combating climate change:

UBC scientist Suzanne Simard studied how the oldest trees in the forest nurture, communicate and protect young seedlings. 2:28

Trees also have Cultural significance to indigenous peopleFor thousands of years, they have used cedar and other trees as clothes, baskets and other tools, as well as ceremonial and royal decorations.

In places like Port Renfrew, big trees are being planted Sale as a tourist destination -This is a way that trees can contribute to the economy of British Columbia without cutting down the trees.

How to protect the old growth?

People on all sides of this issue agree that the old trees in the province should not be abandoned and felled. The province stated that the old growth of the old growth management area was protected under the land use plan and combined with the species protection of reindeer, marble violet and northern goshawk.

BC is also committed to implementing the 14 recommendations made in September last year In the report of the two foresters. The report was commissioned by the provincial government to examine how old growth should be protected.

As part of this process, the government announced at the time that it would postpone 197,000 hectares of old logging, mainly in and around Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island, which is known for its large trees, biodiversity and Logging confrontation.

Also at that time Special tree rulesThis can ensure that the large old growing trees themselves can be protected, and there is a buffer zone around them, so as not to interfere with them by nearby logging.

But since then, stakeholders have become increasingly uneasy because the province is not developing fast enough to take more delay measures and other measures required by the report.

“The evidence is clear: Prime Minister Horgan’s government is likely to be the last government that has the opportunity to preserve the last old growth forest as the legacy of future generations,” said Jens Wieting, a forest and climate activist at Sierra Club, British Columbia. Said in a press release in March.

During the 2017 general election, the New Democratic Party of British Columbia (NBC) vowed to overhaul the forestry sector and establish how environmentalists, the forestry sector, Aboriginals, and the British Columbia Liberal Party will finally work together to develop an agreement to protect Britain in 2016 The Great Bear Rainforest on the central coast of Columbia. An area the size of Vancouver Island is now banned from logging.