Into the Woods
As a former professional forester, I am
well aware of how governments have
used B.C. forests as a cash cow and
have put insu cient resources back in
toward tending the new crop ("
LNG, Not
Oil Sands Behind Future B.C. Growth,"
BCBusiness.ca/natural-resources).
While there is now a very substantial
planting program, the Liberal govern-
ment has put little into silviculture,
which is to growing trees what agri-
culture is to growing food. The moun-
tain pine beetle infestation, which has
decimated large areas of the central and
northern interior, has only made the
situation worse.
One of the big problems with timber
supply is that a major increase in log-
ging in B.C. started in the 1970s, which
means that any trees in those logged
areas are only about 45 years old. We
are still relying on old growth for most
of our harvest, and it will be another
few decades before the second growth
takes over as the main source of har-
vest. In the meantime, we need to put
signi cant money into tending the new
crop so that it grows a little bit quicker
and can be harvested a little bit sooner.
There is no reason why the forest indus-
try cannot remain a major driver of the
B.C. economy over the long term, in
addition to high technoloy and
LNG, if
the right decisions are made today.
Rob Kyle
Anmore, B.C.
Vision-less
There was no need to wait for the com-
munity plan before proceeding with
developments in the West End ("Dra-
matic Real Estate Revival in Vancouver's
West End," BCBusiness.ca/real-estate).
It is well-understood that the Vision
Vancouver council will approve virtu-
ally any development whether it com-
plies with zoning or not. It's not even a
problem if heritage buildings are to be
demolished or green space removed.
Developers can proceed with coni-
dence that any community opposition
will be completely disregarded. Site-by-
site rezoning is the preferred approach
in Vancouver.
Kerry Hird
Vancouver, B.C.
Quit Wine-ing
As the owner of a consumer-made wine
store, and on behalf of the hundreds of
customers we serve, I take umbrage with
the author's opinion that homemade
feedback
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