Friends of Clayoquot Sound: News 040708

Immediate Release - July 8, 2004

Interfor Declares 5-Year Moratorium on Logging in Contentious Clayoquot Valleys

Logging Giant Responds to Calls for Conservation from Tofino Town Council, Enviros and Citizens

TOFINO, BC - Interfor (International Forest Products) yesterday declared that the company will not be logging in the pristine Sydney and Pretty Girl Valleys in Clayoquot Sound for at least 5 years. "While we are encouraged that Interfor has taken immediate pressure off these two valleys we feel very strongly that Interfor, government and First Nations should be engaging in planning to permanently conserve these and other pristine areas, rather than planning how to log them in the next five years," said Diego A. Garcia, forest campaigner for Friends of Clayoquot Sound.

The Tofino Town Council last week requested that the province protect all pristine valleys in Clayoquot Sound from logging. In a landmark statement, Interfor has issued a Declaration on Pristine Valleys in Clayoquot Sound regarding two of these valleys, which reads in part:

"... Interfor declares it will not proceed with any harvesting in the Sydney and Pretty Girl pristine valleys to allow time for the Provincial Government and First Nations to provide direction on the future use of these areas... from June 2004 to June 2009... The company will also assess and work with environmental groups and others in examining the full range of conservation options for these areas."

"This is a positive first step that Interfor has taken and we are grateful to the thousands of citizens, Tofino tourism operators, Tofino Town Council and Chamber of Commerce who voiced their concerns and prompted this response from Interfor," said Garcia. "This is a local issue but also of global concern because pristine valleys in ancient rainforest are so extremely rare. Options such as conservation financing and shifting allowed tenure activities to non-destructive economic activities need to be part of the planning process but currently are not," said Garcia.

Interfor has plans approved to log several other pristine areas in Clayoquot Sound, including Satchie Creek, and 2 pristine watersheds in Sulphur Pass.

For more information please contact:

Diego A. Garcia, Forest Campaigner (250) 725-4218

High quality photos of the Sydney and Pretty Girl Valleys are available.

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PO Box 489, 331 Neill St., Tofino BC V0R 2Z0
250-725-4218 info@focs.ca