Industry News News Forestry Management Harvesting
Huu-ay-aht to uphold right to log old-growth in 4% of deferral area

Tayii Ḥaw̓ił ƛiišin (Head Hereditary Chief Derek Peters) and Elected Chief Councillor Robert J. Dennis Sr. announce Huu-ay-aht First Nations has confirmed 33 per cent of old growth remain in their Ḥahuułi (Traditional Territory) and TFL 44.

The total productive forested area within the Ḥahuułi and TFL 44 is 153,773 hectares (ha), of which 51,240 ha, or 33 per cent, is old forest (greater than 250 years old).

Based on a review of maps provided by the provincial government to the Nation, Huu-ay-aht First Nations will continue to uphold our right to old-growth harvesting in four per cent of the Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) proposed deferral area in the Huu-ay-aht Ḥahuułi and TFL 44. The Nation has decided on a preliminary basis to defer harvesting for a period of two years in areas that make up 96% of the TAP proposal for old growth deferrals, much of which is already protected under existing conservation measures or not planned for harvest in the next two years.

Beginning in 2023, Huu-ay-aht’s long-term stewardship decisions will be informed by the outcome of Huu-ay-aht’s two-year Hišuk ma c̕awak Integrated Resource Management Planning process.

“As a Modern Treaty Nation, Huu-ay-aht will decide how best to manage our lands and resources guided by our three Sacred Principles of ʔiisaak (utmost respect), ʔuuʔałuk (taking care of), and hišuk ma c̕awak (everything is one),” said Tayii Ḥaw̓ił ƛiišin. “We expect broad recognition and respect for our old growth two-year deferral decisions and our long-term forest and resource stewardship decisions.”

“We have now confirmed that 33 per cent, not three per cent, of our Ḥahuułi and TFL 44 is old growth,” said Dennis Sr. “By approving 96 per cent of the TAP old growth recommendation, much of which is already protected under existing conservation measures or not planned for harvest in the next two years, we are satisfied that sufficient old forest is protected, while we complete our two-year integrated resource management planning process and make our long-term forest and resource stewardship decisions.”

Huu-ay-aht preliminary determination Old Growth Deferrals 

Huu-ay-aht has completed a preliminary review of two-year old growth deferrals proposed by the Technical Advisory Panel (TAP)  for the Huu-ay-aht Ḥahuułi (Territory) and TFL 44 (Huu-ay-aht beneficially owns 35 per cent of C̕awak ʔqin Forestry (TFL 44). Please refer to Table 1).

The total productive forested area is 153,773 ha, of which 51,240 ha, or 33 per cent, is old forest (greater than 250 years old). TAP recommends that Huu-ay-aht approve a two-year deferral of old-growth harvesting in 14,754 ha, or 29 per cent, of that total old forest.

Based on maps provided to Huu-ay-aht by the provincial government, the TAP two-year deferral request has been compared to planned harvest areas within the Huu-ay-aht Ḥahuułi and TFL44. 14,109 hectares of the 14,754 ha TAP deferral request (96 per cent) is not planned for harvest within the next two years. In many cases, harvesting is already not taking place because of existing conservation measures.

Huu-ay-aht has analyzed the remaining 645 ha of proposed deferrals (four per cent of TAP request, or 0.4 per cent of total forested area), and has determined that implementation of those remaining deferrals would result in significant economic harm to Huu-ay-aht, local workers, Bamfield, and the Alberni Region. Because of how these proposed deferral areas are distributed, they put as much as 65 per cent of planned harvest volume over the next two years in serious jeopardy.

These deferrals would have an impact on small portions of many different harvest areas in a variety of ways, including making entire harvest areas uneconomic or inaccessible or making the deferred portion subject to forest health concerns such as windthrow.

TABLE  1 – OLD GROWTH DEFERRAL ANALYSIS

After giving this matter and all relevant circumstances careful consideration, Huu-ay-aht First Nations has made a determination to approve on a preliminary basis, for the next two years, 96 per cent of the TAP proposal for old growth deferrals.

However, on a preliminary basis, Huu-ay-aht First Nations does not approve the remaining 4 per cent of the TAP request for two-year deferrals for two main reasons:

1. Huu-ay-aht is satisfied that sufficient old forest is protected without the additional 4 per cent old growth deferral, and
2. Approving the remaining four per cent of the TAP deferral request would have a significant adverse impact on workers, earnings, and the Nation that goes far beyond any incremental ecological benefit.

It is important to note that this determination is preliminary in nature and is specific to the Huu-ay-aht. Huu-ay-aht does not speak for other Nations. As Huu-ay-aht proceeds with its own expert analysis to support its  final determination, the Nation may learn more about deferral options and current old growth protection measures on the Ḥahuułi and TFL 44 that reduce, increase, or otherwise change the amount of two-year old growth harvest deferral that Huu-ay-aht finally determines is necessary.

Huu-ay-aht expects to make a final determination on Huu-ay-aht deferrals by mid-January 2022.