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Stories from British Columbians

Starting in 2019, the Who Cares team has interviewed people across B.C. who work or live in B.C.’s forests. We talked to Indigenous leaders, scientists, policy makers, and residents. We wanted to know more about what they were seeing on the land, what they value out in the wilderness, and what we need to do better as a province. Here are the stories we collected. 

BCForests WeDontOwntheLand

Garry Merkel, Chair of the Old Growth Strategic Review Panel

Featured

The science is clear
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The science is clear – it's been clear for decades

Roy Rea, PhD, Senior Laboratory Instructor of Forestry at UNBC

The importance of forest diversity for healthy habitats and wildlife populations
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The importance of forest diversity for healthy habitats and wildlife populations.

James Steidle, Stop the Spray B.C.

We have to decide - do we want wildlife
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We have to decide...do we want wildlife?

Shaun Freeman, Senior Wildlife and Habitat Biologist, SDF Environmental

The best way to move forward is to work together
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The best way to move forward is to work together.

Krista Sittler, Wildlife Biologist

People on the Land

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John Henderson: “We gotta work together to preserve wildlife into the future. Collectively, if we don’t do it, we’re all gonna suffer the consequences.”

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Dylan Eyers: “…people want to be more connected to where their food comes from.”

Melissa Tautscher Cropped

Melissa Tautscher: “Every animal I harvest I’m so grateful for. I’m so thankful for the animal and the meat that it’s going to provide.”

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Tammy Wood: “One of the best things about feeding my kids wild game is knowing where it came from.”

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Fraser Macdonald: “Outfitters really are wildlife managers.”

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Lawrence Michalchuk: “We have a responsibility to make things right.”

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Chad Norman Day, the Tahltan People: “Since time immemorial, we’ve been stewards of the landbase.”

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Krista Sittler: “The best way to move forward is to work together.” 

Interviews with Forest Experts

Garry Merkel (R)

Garry Merkel: “We don’t own the land, the land owns us.”

Shaun Freeman 2

Shaun Freeman: “We have to decide…do we want wildlife?”

royrea

Roy Rea: “The science is clear – it’s been clear for decades.”

George Abbott

George Abbott: “We spend more on fire suppression than we do on prevention.”

Craig McLean

Craig A. McLean: “It’s hard to articulate the number of species that are benefited by these prescribed fires.”

Taryn Skalbania
Taryn Skalbania: “The province is not taking care of our forests.”
James Steidle
James Steidle: “The forest isn’t just a place to grow 2x4s.”
Al Gorley

Al Gorley: “We have to keep the forests intact.”

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