The public is invited to review and provide comments on the proposed objectives contained in the draft Old Growth Management Areas land use order, an element of the Province's Coastal Douglas Fir strategy.

The draft objectives apply to Coastal Douglas-fir (CDF) plant communities within Old Growth Management Areas identified in Bowser, Little Qualicum and Nanoose. The draft objectives propose to protect a total of 430 hectares of old growth forest, of which 302 hectares is part of the CDF ecosystem.

Maps can be found at http://www.ilmb.gov.bc.ca/slrp/legalobjectives/advertisedLUORs.html

Written comments can be sent to Resource Initiatives - West Coast Region, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. Suite 142 - 2080 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, B.C., V9T 6J9. Fax: 250 751-7081 or email CDF.OGMA@gov.bc.ca

If approved, the area of CDF ecosystem protected by the Government of B.C. will increase by 302 hectares, bringing the total to 9,449 hectares and the amount of old growth forests in old growth management areas on Vancouver Island will increase to 84,117 hectares.

Only nine per cent of CDF lands are provincially owned - 11 per cent are owned by other levels of government and 80 per cent is in private ownership. Currently, 40 per cent of the CDF ecosystem on provincial Crown Land is protected.

The Province is encouraging other levels of government and private owners of land containing CDF to manage these holdings in a way that minimizes impacts on the ecological values. Information on how to promote stewardship on these lands is also available at district offices.

The establishment of land use objectives that protect key resource values such as old growth is a component of the provincial government's approach to managing land use and resource development responsibly.

Media Contact:

Cheekwan Ho
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261