British Columbians are invited to comment on a draft land use order that, if approved, would establish 27 old growth management areas within the Whistler Landscape Unit, encompassing 7,061 hectares.

The proposed order containing the land use objectives, the Whistler Landscape Unit Plan and a map of the affected areas can be viewed in person at the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District office in Squamish (42000 Loggers Lane, Suite 101). The documents are also available online at: www.for.gov.bc.ca/tasb/SLRP/legal-direction/

The establishment of old growth management areas helps protect the biological diversity of old-growth forests by ensuring that stands from different ecosystem types are protected. These areas are excluded from commercial timber harvesting, which helps preserve plant ecosystems, wildlife habitat and cultural values.

The proposal to create these old growth management areas in the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District reflects the B.C. government’s ongoing commitment to manage land use and resource development responsibly, protect old-growth forests, promote biodiversity and preserve valuable ecosystems for the enjoyment of all British Columbians.

Interested parties can submit comments on the proposed old growth management areas until June 25, 2015. Written comments may be mailed to Frank DeGagne, RPF at the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District office of the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations (42000 Loggers Lane, Suite 101, Squamish, B.C., V8B 0H3) or emailed to frank.degagne@gov.bc.ca

Quick Facts:

• A landscape unit is a natural resource planning area that may cover up to 100,000 hectares. A landscape unit’s boundaries are defined according to topographic or geographic features, such as a watershed or a series of watersheds.
• There are currently over 49,000 old growth management areas in B.C., covering almost 3.1 million hectares.
• A total of about 4.5 million hectares of old-growth forest are protected in British Columbia within old growth management areas, provincial parks, national parks, ecological reserves, land conservancies and recreational areas.
• The Sea to Sky Natural Resource District covers about 1.1 million hectares of land on B.C.’s south coast: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/dsq/
• Currently, over 49% of the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District is designated as parks, protected areas or conservation areas.
• Communities in the Sea to Sky Natural Resource District include Whistler, Pemberton, Mt. Currie, D’Arcy, Lions Bay and Squamish.

Media Contacts:

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