Can we read between the lines here? Province might be allowing harvesting of protected trees, but it is unlikely they’re being turned directly into pellets – that would be a waste. It’s possible old growth trees are being harvested for timber, but the byproducts of timber cut from old growth trees is being turned into pellets. So, Forests Ministry can deny that old-growth trees are being burned for pellets (directly), but that’s not answering the challenge about whether they’re being harvested when they shouldn’t be.
Key Takeaways:
– B.C.’s forests ministry denies reports of old-growth trees being burned for pellets in the U.K.
– Environmentalists claim leaked map shows province is allowing harvesting of protected old-growth trees
– Ministry states wood pellets in B.C. are made from waste fiber, not whole forests
– Drax Group defends sourcing of wood for pellets as legal and sustainable
– Controversy surrounds B.C.’s promise to protect old-growth forests
– Provincial government introduced deferral areas to protect old-growth forests temporarily
– Claims of erroneous truck loads of old-growth wood delivered to pellet plants
– Concerns raised about biased removal of old-growth deferral areas for logging
– Ministry responds by stating size of trees is not the only factor in determining ecological value of deferral areas
– Province working on all recommendations of the Old Growth Strategic Review for conservation of ancient forests