Deferral of old-growth logging signals paradigm shift for Cheakamus Community Forest

Last week’s decision to defer old-growth logging for the year signals a paradigm shift in how the Cheakamus Community Forest (CCF) is managed, say forest partners and local ecologists. On Thursday, June 10, the CCF’s managing partners—the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW), the Lil’wat Nation and Squamish Nation—decided to hit pause on old-growth loggingfor 2021 as they resolve “to work together on finding consensus on old-growth management in the CCF through a process of ongoing dialogue between the partners,” according to a statement. Acting board chair and Whistler Councillor John Grills (who replaced former chair Jeff Fisher following his recent departure) said there were a number of factors that went into the decision, between the dearth of commercially harvestable old trees, Whistler’s growing popularity over the years as a tourism destination, and the spotlight on old growth brought on by this year’s Fairy Creek blockades.