Five Years On, Environmental Group Says B.C. Missed Old-Growth “Paradigm Shift”

On the fifth anniversary of the Old Growth Strategic Review, the Wilderness Committee issued a report card arguing the province has not delivered the promised “paradigm shift” in forest management. The group says deferrals and policy moves haven’t kept pace with logging pressures in high-risk ecosystems and is calling for stronger legal protections and clearer timelines.

The critique comes as the province navigates wildfire seasons that increasingly overlap with harvesting windows and as communities push for more certainty around conservation and local jobs. The group’s statement also presses for deeper collaboration with First Nations on tenure reform and stewardship funding.

Government officials have previously said their approach balances ecological goals with economic stability and that further measures are forthcoming. Wednesday’s release signals advocacy groups will keep the file in the spotlight through the fall.