In May of 2018, the small town of Grand Forks, was hit by the most catastrophic flood that BC has ever experienced. This prompted me, Jennifer Houghton, as someone whose home has been flooded two years in a row, to film a documentary about our experience.
In the process of researching for the documentary, I discovered science that demonstrates how forestry practices in our watershed contributed to the degree of flooding. It is not only our flooded town that is in crisis, it is also our forests.
Going through the flood was traumatic. But it hurt my heart when I saw the satellite images of the clear cuts in our watershed. It is amongst the trees that I find peace. To see them in jeopardy motivates me to act.
My sense of justice was stirred by the suffering being experienced by the people in Grand Forks who were hit by the flood. Everyday since May 12, 2018, I’ve woken up with a sense of purpose: to push for effective change in forestry.
When I started listening to the people in my town talk about forestry, this is what I heard: when it comes to trees, people want to talk about values, ethics, spirituality.
Not woo-woo stuff - but the shit that real people think about every day. Its about the old-time loggers who are telling me they don’t go into the bush anymore because they see the massive extent of the destruction and just get angry and depressed now. Its about the landowners whose acreages are encompassed by clear cuts after they spend 2 years negotiating for a measly 5 metre creek setback instead of the 1 metre creek setback that industry can leave if they want to because the legislation allows for it. Its the truck drivers who tell me they are ordered to drive through 2 feet of water on washed out roads to get those last loads of timber even when its endangering their lives. Its about business owners in Grand Forks who spend $150,000 of their own money restoring their flooded buildings. Its about the Grand Forks people whose homes were destroyed by flood waters who are living in RVs this winter. Its about compassionate government employees who are driven to tears when they have to force a landowner to allow a road through his property and lose his water source.
Its about the loneliness I feel when I see a picture of a grizzly bear stumbling through a 100 acre clearcut.
I have now united with other local citizens to drive for positive forestry reform in the province of BC. We have formed the Boundary Forest Watershed Stewardship Society. We want legislation that will provide us with intact forests for centuries to come, protect us from suffering any further economic damage in our own and other communities, save the diminishing number of forestry jobs, and provide for the independent monitoring of forestry practices in BC.
It is important that the people who live near the forests and are directly impacted by forest practices have a say in the management of our forests.
Our little group is just one of hundreds across BC that are working to make significant change to forestry legislation and practices. Many groups are having the same experience: making very little progress when attempting to make changes to the forestry practices that are negatively impacting their communities. The reason for this is that current BC legislation supports and encourages logging for short-term profit at the expense of all other values including water, biodiversity, habitat, recreation, safety, other industries, long-term economic security, and climate change.
Forestry legislation puts the timber cut above all other concerns and communities are paying the price. It is time to change this so that legislation takes other values into account. Current forestry legislation, through Professional Reliance, also grants monitoring of forestry practices to the forestry licensees themselves. This brings to mind the fox and hen house analogy and creates a conflict of interest situation that greatly concerns me.
MAKING SURE OUR LONG TERM FUTURE IS ENSURED
The forestry industry’s contributions to the BC GDP are on a steady decline, the number of saw mills is dwindling, and the number of forestry jobs has been diminishing for decades. Those of us who are pushing for change want to increase forestry jobs at the same time as creating a long-term sustainable industry. It can be done. It will take brave leadership and courage of purpose. We can do this.
There are people working out of the public eye to press the government for changes to legislation. Changes are being made. However, the changes will be slow and limited unless there is significant public outcry.
If we are in crisis, why are we not behaving as if we are in crisis?
My vision is to have all groups and citizens speak for the forests publicly on the same day and the same time. Our voice must be loud and our requirements must be bold. We must demand that forest management practices and policies are re-framed and reoriented so that they reflect our values. We must demand that change happens quickly before its too late.
We are part of a wave of environmentally conscious and forward thinking voters. We must make our voices heard by all levels of government.
I invite you to join me and my fellow stewards in our drive to restore and preserve the forests that we love.
March on September 18, 2026 in your own community.
Organize, gather, support, be heard.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Houghton
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