British Columbia is known for its vast forests, diverse wildlife, and breathtaking natural landscapes. But hidden in the fine print of forestry management is a practice many British Columbians remain unaware of: the widespread use of glyphosate-based herbicides, particularly through aerial spraying. While this chemical is used to manage vegetation and promote the growth of commercially valuable tree species, its impacts reach much further, affecting wildlife, habitat health, Indigenous lands, and potentially even human health. It’s time to shine a light on glyphosate and ask the important questions: why is it used, what are the risks, and is it worth the cost?
What is Glyphosate and Why Is It Used in BC?
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide, commonly known by its brand name, Roundup. It’s widely used in agriculture, landscaping, and, most notably in BC, forestry operations. In reforestation, especially after logging or wildfire, glyphosate is sprayed to suppress the growth of broadleaf plants and shrubs. This allows coniferous species such as spruce, fir, and pine to dominate, as they’re economically preferred by the timber industry.
In BC, this practice is often carried out using aerial spraying, where helicopters blanket vast areas of land with the herbicide. The logic is simple: fewer “competing” plants equals faster-growing trees for harvest. But ecosystems are not plantations, and this approach disregards the complexity of forest regeneration and biodiversity.
Environmental Risks of Glyphosate Use
While glyphosate may benefit timber productivity, it comes at a significant ecological cost. The herbicide kills a wide range of plants, many of which are essential to local biodiversity, wildlife nutrition, and natural forest succession.
- Loss of forage plants: Glyphosate removes plants that are vital food sources for animals like moose, deer, and bears. In some regions, moose populations have declined due to reduced grazing availability after repeated herbicide spraying.
- Impacts on insects and pollinators: Wildflowers and broadleaf plants support countless insects, including pollinators. Spraying these plants reduces insect abundance and disrupts the food chain for birds, amphibians, and other small mammals.
- Soil health: Glyphosate has been shown to affect soil microbial activity and reduce beneficial fungi, potentially impairing long-term forest health and resilience.
In short, the ecological impacts ripple far beyond the targeted species, undermining the very ecosystems the forests are part of.
Wildlife Exposure and Bioaccumulation
Contrary to claims that glyphosate breaks down quickly in the environment, studies have shown that glyphosate residues can persist in soil and vegetation, particularly in cooler, wetter climates like BC’s. Animals feeding on sprayed plants may ingest residues, which can accumulate over time.
There is concern among biologists and conservation groups that repeated exposure could contribute to negative health effects in wildlife, especially in species already stressed by habitat loss, predation, or climate change.
Research is ongoing, but in the absence of clear long-term studies, many communities and scientists advocate for a precautionary approach, particularly when the chemical is being applied over thousands of hectares of forest.
What Does This Mean for Humans?
While much of the concern centers on wildlife and habitat health, glyphosate’s potential impact on human health is also debated. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (a WHO body) has classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans”, although other regulatory bodies have disputed the strength of this link.
In BC, aerial spraying often occurs near rural communities, recreation areas, and Indigenous territories. Residents have raised concerns about lack of notice, drift from spray zones, and long-term exposure risks, especially for children and vulnerable populations. In some cases, people have reported illness following spraying events, though conclusive evidence is hard to establish.
Indigenous Perspectives and Resistance
For many Indigenous communities, glyphosate spraying represents not only an environmental issue but also a violation of traditional land stewardship and food sovereignty. Broadleaf plants targeted by glyphosate include important medicinal plants, berries, and forage for plant-eating animals like deer and moose, all of which hold deep cultural and subsistence value.
Numerous First Nations have spoken out against herbicide use on their territories, calling for greater consultation, transparency, and a shift toward ecosystem-based forest management that respects Indigenous knowledge. Their leadership has been instrumental in pushing back against unchecked chemical use in BC’s forests.
Where Does BC Policy Stand?
Despite growing public concern, glyphosate remains legal and widely used in BC, with permits issued by the provincial government. There is no requirement for public notice before aerial spraying takes place, and the data on how much is sprayed, and where, can be difficult to access.
However, some municipalities and regions have taken steps to restrict or ban glyphosate use on public lands. This local-level resistance is building momentum, but without province-wide reform, the practice continues across vast areas of BC’s forests.
In contrast, other jurisdictions, including parts of Quebec, Ontario, and several European countries, have moved to limit or phase out glyphosate use, particularly in forestry. This raises an important question: why not here?
What Are the Alternatives?
Forestry doesn’t have to rely on herbicides to be successful. Alternatives include:
- Manual brushing: Cutting back competing plants with mechanical tools, more labor-intensive, but better for biodiversity.
- Prescribed fire: When done safely and under the right conditions, fire can mimic natural regeneration processes.
- Ecological forestry: Accepting a greater diversity of species in regrowth and managing forests for long-term ecosystem health, not just timber volume.
Transitioning to these practices may require more investment up front, but the long-term benefits to forests, communities, and wildlife make it a worthwhile shift.
What Can You Do?
If you’re concerned about glyphosate use in BC’s forests, here are a few steps you can take:
- Get informed: Look into where spraying happens in your region. Contact your local government or forestry companies for data.
- Speak up: Write to your MLA, attend public meetings, and support groups advocating for better forestry practices.
- Support Indigenous leadership: Follow and amplify the voices of Indigenous communities resisting chemical spraying on their territories.
- Choose wood products wisely: Support companies that commit to chemical-free and ecosystem-based forestry.
- Don’t use RoundUp in your own yard/garden.
To learn more and act, go to stopthespraybc.com for more information.
Conclusion: Time to Rethink the Status Quo
Glyphosate may be easy to overlook, it’s invisible to most, and rarely discussed outside of agriculture or courtrooms. But its quiet spread through BC’s forests carries real consequences. From wildlife to water, from Indigenous sovereignty to public health, this herbicide raises big questions about what kind of forestry we want in BC.
At Who Cares BC, we believe in transparent, science-informed, and community-driven conservation. It’s time to bring glyphosate into the light, and ask whether the short-term gains are worth the long-term costs.