Provincial government publishes first Howe Sound report card

By Jennifer Thuncher
The Coast Reporter
April 15, 2019
Category: Forestry
Region: Canada, Canada West

Think of it as a home inspection for the Howe Sound region. The provincial government recently released cumulative effects assessments for our area as part of the Howe Sound Cumulative Effects Project. …The initial baseline assessments look at the condition of Roosevelt elk populations, marbled murrelet, grizzly bears, forest visual quality, and aquatic ecosystems. The bottom line of the cumulative effects assessments is humans have impacted the environment. In particular, historic forest practices, industrial development, roads, and other development have made a difference to conditions. “The main cumulative impacts are increases in road density and reductions of low elevation mature-to-old forests,” reads a summary of the assessments. “The results also identified some positive trends such as the re-establishment of elk populations, improved forest visual quality and improving wildlife habitat through increasing mature-to-old forest recruitment.”

Read More