Last year, a 4-3 pro-development bloc on North Cowichan council stood poised to renew logging in the Municipal Forest Reserve — part of the most endangered forest type in BC, maybe even Canada.

This despite a municipal on-line survey in 2023 showing 76-per-cent support for conservation-based management options for the forest reserve. A statistically valid random phone survey of residents showed 67-per-cent support.

Only an 11th-hour plea from Halalt Chief James Thomas saved the day. Council voted to complete a co-management partnership agreement with Quw’utsun Nation prior to reconsidering forest harvesting as a strategic priority.

Read more: https://www.sixmountains.ca/article/51222b92-cc03-488a-8b9d-6ddad0409829

With a municipal election set for October 17, it’s a good time for citizens to learn more about the coastal Douglas-fir forest.

As such, Six Mountains has condensed a talk June 10, 2026, by noted ecologist and author Andy MacKinnon to the Six Mountains art show at the Cowichan Valley Arts Council in Duncan.

Note that in his talk, MacKinnon mentions that the coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic zone extends from sea level to an approximate elevation of 150 metres.

But that doesn't mean the forest above 150 metres is unworthy of protection.

Quite the opposite.

This ecosystem is known as the Very Dry Maritime Coastal Western Hemlock zone — with the second least amount of old-growth forest in the province and the second highest percentage of private land.

That's why the Coastal Douglas-fir Conservation Partnership — a coalition of more than 40 organizations and levels of government, including the BC Ministry of Forests — refers to the coastal Douglas-fir zone and “associated ecosystems." (https://www.cdfcp.ca/ )