Government has approved a legal order to extend the deferral of old-growth harvesting in the Fairy Creek watershed until Feb. 1, 2025.

The extension applies to the same forest lands as those deferred in June 2021 in response to a request from the elected leadership of the Pacheedaht First Nation. The Province and First Nations will continue collaborating on long-term forest ecosystem management of the Fairy Creek watershed, including the management of old-growth forests. 

The Fairy Creek deferral protects 1183.9 hectares, which is all the Crown land in the Fairy Creek watershed. The entire watershed falls within the Pacheedaht territory.

The Province continues to work with First Nations rights and title holders to take unprecedented action to protect old-growth forests. Since November 2021, more than two million hectares of old growth has been deferred across the province, with work continuing on additional deferrals.