As the trees fall, you can hear the wildlife stirring in a panic. Their homes are crashing to the ground. The birds flee to neighboring trees, their voices in an uproar. The deer and squirrels dart away from the falling timber. The trees send emergency signals through their root systems and the entire forest stirs with the deep loss of an ecosystem that has slowly, and perfectly developed over hundreds of years. Once lost, these systems can not be restored, and the impact will reverberate in the local area and around the globe for years to come.

Right now, an endangered watershed on the west coast of North America, one of the last intact ancient temperate rainforest watersheds on the island, is being clear-cut for profit. On the ground, land defenders and First Nations Elders are working to slow the destruction, but logging continues under government approval.

British Columbia is home to some of the last remaining ancient temperate rainforests on Earth. These forests are not only majestic and awe-inspiring, they are essential to our collective future, locally and globally. While the British Columbia government promotes itself as a leader in sustainability and climate action, it is actively complicit in the logging of one of the last remaining intact ancient temperate rainforest watersheds on Vancouver Island.

Much of what is being destroyed will not be used for anything durable or to benefit the community. Journalist David Mounsey reports, “Most of these 500–1,000-year-old-plus trees they are cutting down will be ground into pulp for Asian corporations or made into pellets to be burned in so-called ‘renewable’ energy power stations in the UK.” The Drax Corporation, which operates Britain’s largest power station, has repeatedly been linked through independent investigations to pellets sourced from primary and ancient forests on British Columbia’s coast.

Clearcutting the last of BC’s old growth benefits a handful of corporations in the short term, and it leaves communities with degraded landscapes, increased flood and fire risk, and fewer economic options in the future.

Forest protectors at the Ada’itsx / Fairy Creek blockade, alongside First Nations Elders, are calling on people to take action, by joining them on the ground, or by demanding political accountability.

Scroll to the end of this article for phone and email templates you can use today to contact BC Premier David Eby and call for an immediate end to old-growth and primary forest logging.

These monumental western red cedars, Douglas firs, and Sitka spruce, many of them more than 1,000 years old, store vast amounts of carbon, regulate watersheds, shelter endangered species, and hold deep cultural and spiritual meaning for Indigenous Nations who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial.

Old-growth forests are not simply “older trees.” They are complex, interconnected living systems that take centuries to develop. Their soils store immense quantities of carbon, their layered canopies moderate temperature and rainfall, and their intact root networks stabilize slopes, reducing landslides, flooding, and erosion. Once logged, these forests cannot be replaced within any meaningful human timeframe. Plantations of even-aged trees, often mislabeled as “regrowth” do not replicate the biodiversity, climate resilience, or carbon-sequestration capacity of intact old growth.

At a time when the climate crisis is accelerating, destroying one of our most powerful natural carbon sinks is profoundly reckless. Scientists, ecologists, and climate experts have been clear for decades: protecting primary forests is one of the fastest and most effective actions we can take to address climate change and biodiversity loss.

Indigenous leaders have been equally clear. Many First Nations have called for an immediate halt to old-growth logging within their territories and for the full recognition of Indigenous governance and consent in land-use decisions. The public is also clear. Poll after poll shows overwhelming support for protecting remaining old-growth forests.

Yet the logging industry continues to frame this issue as a choice between protecting forests and protecting workers. This is a false and dangerous narrative. A just transition is not only possible, it is necessary. Investing in forest restoration, ecological stewardship, value-added wood products, and community-led land management can create long-term, meaningful employment without sacrificing ancient ecosystems.

Read more from Gavin Mounsey

Follow the Ada’itsx/Fairy Creek Blockade Facebook Page

Read Why are Old Growth Forests Important from A Greener Future 

Take action now: Call or email Premier David Eby today and demand an immediate end to old-growth and primary forest logging in British Columbia.

Phone Script

Call: 250-387-1715

Hello, my name is _________, and I’m calling to urge Premier David Eby to immediately end all logging of old-growth and primary forests in British Columbia.

These forests are irreplaceable carbon sinks, critical watersheds, and living ecosystems that cannot be restored once destroyed. Continued approvals for clearcutting contradict BC’s climate commitments and violate the calls from First Nations for protection and consent.

I’m asking the Premier to permanently protect remaining old-growth forests, respect Indigenous governance, and invest in a just transition for forest workers and communities.

Thank you for passing this message along.

Email Template

Email: [email protected]
Subject: End Old-Growth and Primary Forest Logging in British Columbia

Dear Premier Eby,

I am writing to urge your government to immediately halt all logging of old-growth and primary forests in British Columbia, including intact watersheds on Vancouver Island.

These ancient forests are irreplaceable. They store vast amounts of carbon, regulate watersheds, protect biodiversity, and hold deep cultural significance for Indigenous Nations. Once logged, they cannot be restored within any meaningful timeframe.

Continuing to approve old-growth logging undermines BC’s climate commitments and ignores the clear calls from Indigenous leaders, scientists, and the public to protect what remains.

I am asking your government to take decisive action by permanently protecting remaining old-growth forests, upholding Indigenous governance and consent, and supporting a just transition for forest workers and rural communities.

The time for half-measures has passed. Please act now to protect British Columbia’s ancient forests for future generations.

Sincerely,
_________
City / Province (optional)