Dear editor,

Re: Arrests continue as protesters return to Caycuse blockade on Vancouver Island, comoxvalleyrecord.com, May 20, 2021.

I am writing to express my wholehearted support for those protesting against the logging of our last remaining old-growth forests. Don鈥檛 be fooled by carefully edited media portrayals of a few gentle spirits or radicals in the woods blocking logging. We are now witnessing a growing alliance of Islanders from all walks (including nurses, teachers, professionals and seniors), who know there is something wrong in the woods, and who are standing up to protect what鈥檚 left before it鈥檚 gone - even if it means being arrested.

One only needs to look at disturbing 鈥渂efore and after鈥� logging maps to see how our Island forests have been almost completely stripped of trees. And researchers are clear in reporting that shockingly only about three per cent of old-growth remains in BC. Due to over-harvesting, the rest of our productive old-growth is gone forever.

Enough is enough. British Columbians are demanding that our premier immediately stop old-growth logging before the last small forests of grand ancient trees, rich biodiversity, and disappearing wildlife are smashed. We need to protect tourism and recreation opportunities and the carbon capturing the potential of these old forests before they are obliterated.

At the same time, nobody wants to see loggers lose employment, and it should be our provincial government鈥檚 duty to train resource workers in these dwindling industries to help them transition to good-paying jobs in more sustainable industries - jobs that don鈥檛 revolve around private plundering of rapidly diminishing resources. Our premier needs to step up and support (and grab his industrial tax benefits from) more sustainable industries. Because when the old growth is gone the jobs will be gone.

As for reports that the Pacheedaht First Nation wants demonstrators to leave, in fact (as reported on the APTN network and by CBC), some members, like protest leader Pacheedaht Elder William Jones, support the movement and presence of protesters, in hopes of preserving what little is left of utterly decimated wilderness territories.

K. Hodgson,

Courtenay