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COFI-commissioned study: productive old-growth in BC is 30%, not 3%
October 28, 2021 By Ellen Cools
The B.C. Council of Forest Industries (COFI) recently commissioned Forsite Consultants to assess how much old-growth is left in B.C. The study concluded that productive old-growth in B.C. is 30 per cent, not three per cent, as a different report, B.C.’s Old Growth Forests: A Last Stand for Biodiversity, claims.
According to Business in Vancouver, the methodology used to determine just three per cent of old-growth remains in the Last Stand for Biodiversity study has now been called into question. The study used the vegetative resource inventory and 3D aerial photographs to arrive at this number.
In contrast, Forsite Consultants used the B.C. government’s Provincial Site Productivity Layer tool, which uses factors such as soil conditions, geography and climatic conditions to estimate forest productivity in specific areas.
The COFI-commissioned study finds that of the 11.4 million hectares of old forests in B.C., 75 per cent is protected or not included in B.C.’s Timber Harvesting Landbase.
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