Old Growth Forests

Protecting Old Growth Forests
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Value found in old-growth forests
SEAN PATRICK SULLIVAN
The Canadian PressSeptember 4, 2008 at 1:51 PM EDTVANCOUVER — Leaving British Columbia's old-growth forests standing may make more economic sense than cutting them down for timber, especially as the province looks to strategies to cut global warming, a new B.C. study suggests.The report from Simon Fraser University challenges the status quo and uses Ministry of Forest data to show that conservation wins out over logging when forests are valued for their role in capturing carbon from the atmosphere, protecting endangered species and providing opportunities for recreation.The study backed by three environmental groups – Wilderness Committee, David Suzuki Foundation, and Ecojustice – used computer modelling to look at a variety of conservation and logging scenarios in a large tract of forest near Vancouver.In almost every scenario, the researchers said, they found that the value of the carbon captured and stored by the trees far outweighed the value of the lumber harvested from the logs.Internet LinksB.C. forest information map Faisal Moola, science director for the David Suzuki Foundation, called the results a clear indicator that B.C. should be protecting its old-growth forest as it works with other western provinces to reduce global warming.“The old-growth forests that we have are not only going to be a benefit in the fight against climate change, but there's also a significant economic windfall that could be celebrated by British Columbians,” he said.