1. Old-Growth Forest Logging in the Central Walbran Valley
To clear cut or not to clear cut: stakeholder negotiations and land- use decision making

2. Guiding Questions
How do we, both as individuals and as communities, collaborate to make real and significant decisions on land-use issues?
How do differing perspectives on land-use purpose pose challenges for different stakeholders?
Who needs to make decisions in these very real, significant and enduring problems?
What processes and principles could be used to make problem-solving decisions

3. What is the Issue?
Logging company, Teal Jones, has the legal right to cut an area of the forest in the Central Walbran Valley on the southern part of Vancouver Island and has indicated they are surveying the areas for logging.
The section of proposed forest contains old-growth trees and in particular, the area includes trees in Castle Grove – an area of some of the most densely-packed, old growth trees in the world
A wide range of opponents to this proposed clear cutting have emerged and are planning to protest the actions of Teal Jones
Fears of a repeat of the ‘war in the woods’ of the 1990s is growing. Out of this period the Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park was created, protected most of the trees but sadly, leaving out the small section under dispute today.
Video:

4. Stakeholder interests
In December the Ministry put a call out to stakeholders and proposed a meeting to try to mediate the rising tensions
You as a class with take on one stakeholder role and simulate the meeting
Your goal will be to represent the interests of the stakeholders, build alliances with likeminded parties and hopefully, propose compromises and solutions for the Ministry’s consideration
See task sheet for instructions