Editor, The Times:
In response to your Feb. 28 article (Cutting forest health will hurt forest industry: Kendall), I’m writing to share some facts about this government’s commitment to forest health.
Despite recent budget reductions, this year, government will be planting 22.7 million seedlings – a more than 56 per cent increase over the 14.5 million seedlings planted last year. Altogether since we introduced Forests for Tomorrow in 2005 to reforest areas impacted by mountain pine beetle and wildfire, we’ve invested $269 million to survey over 1.3 million hectares and plant over 75 million seedlings on 60,000 hectares.
Just last month I released a new 10-year strategic plan for forest inventory to re-inventory 35 million hectares.
With regard to log exports, recently announced policy changes will increase more harvesting on the Coast. There are no log exports from the Clearwater area.
In 2011, this government awarded a community forest to the Well Gray Community Forest Corporation. We know the importance of forestry to B.C.’s communities and are committed to policies that ensure healthy sustainable forests into the future.
Steve Thomson
Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations