Recently there has been discussion about upcoming forest harvesting plans on Tree Farm Licence 47 on Quadra Island, Canada. This area is within the unceded and core territory of the We Wai Kai Nation, who approves all forest management activities on the TFL. 

The Nation and Mosaic Forest Management have worked closely to develop a constructive relationship based on the recognition that as title holder, We Wai Kai has the right to ensure that resources on Quadra Island are being managed consistent with their conservation values and their right to benefit economically from resource extraction on their title lands. The Nation’s logging company, Way Key, is conducting all harvesting on the TFL on Quadra. 

Both We Wai Kai and Mosaic recognize there is interest in future harvesting activities. Mosaic also knows that Islanders want a map that identifies where the old growth is (as part of a spatially explicit strategy) before harvesting occurs. Mosaic has committed to supporting this work, however that cannot begin until the Nation and the Province have completed landscape planning. Until then, the current legislation, Non-Spatial Old Growth Order, will be used to identify and maintain areas for old-growth recruitment and retention, as well as monitor progress. 

“Using B.C.’s Landscape Unit Planning Guide, we have identified 10.4% old and mature stands which exceeds the target of 9%,” the Company said in the press release. 

Current harvesting plans do not impact old forest targets because 37% of the forested area of the Quadra landscape unit is not available for harvest and 89% of those forests are already mature or old forest.  The areas proposed for harvesting are second growth and almost all of the harvest will go to local sawmills; most of which are struggling to survive. 

Mosaic is a timberlands management company.