Eye Opener: Summary of Reading #14: Buzz Cut

A Picture of the Great Bear Rainforest

Summary of the Article:

What would we do if all of our forests were cut down? If they were no longer in existence, how would that effect the environment or the earth for that matter? This article focuses mainly on The Great Bear Rainforest and the forests in British Columbia. The majority of forests in British Columbia and Canada have recently been cut down. The forests located in British Columbia have been treated as endless, now the fact that they are disappearing has caught the eye of the Sierra Club and other enviornmentalists. For example, half of the trees in the Chilcotin region (an area that covers 15 percent of British Columbia) were cut between 1988 and 1996 alone. (Mckinney , 52). Thats scary to think about if all the forests were treated like that what would we have today? In April 2003 (the Great Bear Agreement was first started) The Sierra Club campaigned for several years and finally succeeded. British Columbia Agreed to prohibit logging on 1.5 million acres of the coastal Great Bear rainforest, and to defer logging on an additional 2 million acres. (Mckinney, 53). This agreement has helped slow down the process of deforestation in British Columbia.

How does the Great Bear Agreement effect us in the U.S?
Actually it affects us a great deal. Seventy-five percent of British Columbia's cut comes from the east side of the Coast Mountains, much of it from the Chilcotin, and 90% of that goes to the United States, half as wood chips for paper and half as two-by-fours. The U.S. Department of Labor has also certified that Canadian imports have been a factor in the closing of more than 50 U.S. mills since 1996

View Points:

Sierra Club (Enviornmental Group):

The Environmental groups say that the Great Bear Agreement is "the end of the beginning". If all promises are kept, the environmental groups said warily, "the agreement will create a global model of sustainability for other rare ecosystems around the world". The Sierra Club's Matthus said "This agreement represents a revolution in the way we approach B.C.’s rainforests - it's no longer just about logging, but about conservation, new economic ventures and community involvement,” said Merran Smith, director of BC Coastal Programs for ForestEthics. The group continues to watch and see if the BC government will keep there promises and protect the forests. They seem to be rather hesitant on the agreement, since much still remains to be done before March 31, 2009 when the agreement takes full affect.
Link: Newswire.com

People of the Great Bear Rainforest:

These nations include the: Nuxalk, Heiltsuk, Kwakwaka'wakw, Tsimshian (including the Gitga'at, Kitasoo/Xai'xais, and others), Haisla, and Oweekeno. These people are greatful for the act not only does it protect their environment/home it also protects biodiversity and is ensuring cultural survival. With out the agreement the people who call the Great Bear Rainforest home may not have anywhere to go.
Link: ForestActionNetwork