B.C. judge dismisses environmental groups’ application over endangered trees

VANCOUVER – A B.C. Supreme Court judge has dismissed an application by environmental groups claiming the province failed to adhere to its own laws in protecting endangered coastal Douglas fir trees.

Justice G.P. Weatherill sided with the government in ruling that the Western Canada Wilderness Committee and ForestEthics Solutions Society’s application for judicial review was premature.

He says in a decision released Friday that the groups should have first applied to the Forest Practices Board, which conducts independent audits and investigations to determine if the province is complying with laws to protect endangered forests.

Weatherill says the government officially recognized in 2006 that coastal Douglas fir are a species at risk and created policies to balance the competing concerns of the logging industry and those pushing for environmental protection and aboriginal interests.

However, the environmental groups say B.C. needs a stand-alone endangered species law to ensure forests aren’t logged to extinction and wildlife including the mountain caribou and spotted owl are able to recover.

The groups say they’re considering whether to file an appeal of the decision.