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Old growth deferral areas

Last updated on April 15, 2024

We are  working in partnership with First Nations and industry to temporarily defer the logging of more of B.C.’s most vulnerable old growth forests. Temporary short-term deferrals are helping protect and support these ecosystems while First Nations, the Province, and other partners develop long-term approaches for old growth forest management.

As of February 2024, coordination between First Nations and forests companies has resulted in over 2.42 million hectares of old growth being deferred or protected since November 2021. This is in addition to the nearly 3.7 million hectares that were already protected.  

Deferrals will remain in place until the forest management approach being informed by the old growth strategic review is implemented and local discussions on long-term management of old growth values are concluded through initiatives such as Land Use Plans, Forest Landscape Plans and Integrated Resource Management Plans.

On this page:

Approaches to deferrals

There are several mechanisms for deferring harvest in old forests. These include:

  • Voluntary deferrals are put in place where First Nations and industry have worked together to come to an agreement to avoid harvesting for a period of time. This allows time for local decision making on long-term management approaches
    • The voluntary approach provides for greater flexibility in decision making and can be implemented quickly
    • Experience has shown that voluntary deferrals have the same effect on harvest activities as legally enforceable measures such as Part 13s
    • Voluntary deferrals are currently in place over nearly 2.0 million hectares of old growth forests.
  • Regulation based deferrals including the use of Part 13 of the Forest Act to establish a legally enforceable deferral
    • Legal orders to specifically protect old growth now cover 8,212 hectares of old growth across the province
  • Directed deferrals, in the case of the provincial government providing direction to BC Timber Sales

The independent panel report encouraged the use of these methods when considering deferrals. Deferrals are not permanent protections and are subject to future management decisions as part of addressing the New Future for Old Forests Report recommendations as a whole.

Consistent with reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, First Nations support for proposed deferrals is being sought before harvest deferrals are put in place.

Maps of supported deferrals are not being shared publicly at this time to respect the ongoing government-to-government discussions with First Nations rights and titleholders.

Deferral data & frequently asked questions

For a status update on old growth deferrals and answers to common questions about deferrals, please review the following documents. The data will be updated every two months, including additions on technical advisory panel deferral area harvesting levels.

The use of Part 13 of the Forest Act

Some old growth deferral areas are established under Part 13 of the Forest Act as “designated areas” and the Act gives the authority for a Ministerial Order (MO) to direct activities, such as suspending forestry activities, within those designated areas. Designated Areas are often made up of both old growth and second growth forests because old growth stands are not all adjacent and therefore attempting to specify just old growth stands in an area would be very difficult.

In September 2020, the Province implemented ten Part 13 deferrals in partnership with First Nations on 196,000 hectares of old growth forests throughout B.C. under Old Growth Designated Area No.1, which included the following areas:

  • Clayoquot Sound
  • Crystalline Creek
  • H'Kusam
  • McKelvie Creek
  • Seven Sisters
  • Skagit-Silver Daisy
  • Stockdale Creek
  • Upper Southgate River
  • Central Walbran Area
  • Incomappleux Valley (north)

In June 2021, the Fairy Creek Watershed Designated Area No. 1 was established on the request of the Hereditary Chiefs of Pacheedaht, Ditidaht and Huu-ay-aht First Nations to defer logging in Fairy Creek.

In January 2023, Incomappleux Valley (north) was removed from Old Growth Designated Area No. 1 and the Incomappleux Valley (south) Designated Area No. 1 was established.

In March 2024, five of the Old Growth Designated Area No. 1 areas transitioned to voluntary deferral status with agreement from First Nations and industry:

  • Clayoquot Sound
  • H’Kusam
  • Upper Southgate River
  • Seven Sisters
  • McKelvie Creek

The remaining four areas that are part of Old Growth Designated Area No. 1 have been extended as a Part 13 deferral until September 2026 while long-term stewardship conversations continue.

Chronology of Old Growth Designated Area No. 1:

List of Part 13 designated areas

The list below shows the current Part 13 old growth designated areas as of March 2024.

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Fairy Creek: 1,184 hectares (883 hectares of old growth)

 

Central Walbran Area: 1,489 hectares (1,150 hectares of old growth)

The Central Walbran Valley on southern Vancouver Island, located next to the Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park, is home to grand old-growth coastal rainforest, including majestic and culturally important western red cedar.

 

Crystalline Creek: 9,595 hectares (921 hectares of old growth)

A tributary of the south fork of the Spillimacheen River, an intact watershed with wetland complexes and old and mature forests.

 

Incomappleux Valley (south): 16,400 hectares (2,679 hectares of old growth)

 

Skagit-Silver Daisy: 5,745 hectares (1,486 hectares of old growth)

Largely intact transition forest between coastal and interior types, with species representative of both, including sub-alpine fir, western and mountain hemlock, western red and yellow cedar and Douglas fir, home to wildlife including spotted owls.

 

​Stockdale Creek: 11,515 hectares (1,093 hectares of old growth)

Old and mature forests in an intact watershed, an important wildlife corridor with high-value grizzly bear habitat.

Examples of long-term management achievements

In January 2023, the Province announced a new conservancy to protect rare ecosystems in the Incomappleux Valley.

In March 2024, as part of on-going land-use discussions in Clayoquot Sound, it was announced that the Province and the Ahousaht and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations are proposing to establish 77,000 hectares of new conservancies under the Park Act. This is part of long-term planning for the area, which is currently authorized for commercial forestry as part of Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 54, the only TFL in Clayoquot Sound. If approved, this would mean that nearly 60% of the current area of the TFL would be conserved, with 55,000 hectares remaining within forest tenures.

Twelve forest landscape plans (FLPs) are currently underway that will establish clear outcomes for the management of forest resource values within those defined areas along with recommendations for long-term management of old growth. 

Contact information

Email
oldgrowthbc@gov.bc.ca