Boreal forest advocates raising awareness around clear-cutting in Saskatchewan

Advocates for Saskatchewan’s boreal forest are raising awareness about the impacts of clear-cut logging.

An event was held Saturday at St. George’s Senior’s Centre in Saskatoon to raise awareness and funds to support a legal action to stop clearcut logging.

“It’s a really serious conversation that we’re having,” said Cathy Sproule, a representative for Big River Forest Advocates. “We noticed… that they were really moving into areas in the boreal fringe, where people live, where they choose to live, where they run businesses, outfitting tourism, harvest, harvesting forest products.”

Sproule said the clear-cut logging also interferes with Indigenous peoples who exercise their inherent treaty right to hunt.

“There are better ways to log in these heavily populated and well-loved and widely used areas,” she said.

“It’s frustrating… it’s a lot like banging your head against a wall because the government is completely unresponsive,” Sproule continued. “But I just feel like for me, I have to try. And that’s the bottom line.”

Throughout the years, advocates have met with provincial ministers, sent letters and circulated petitions. But to no avail; their message has fell on deaf ears.

“The ministry and also the government of Saskatchewan is not upholding the provision of the Forest Resources Management Act, which requires a balance between industry and all kinds of other activity and values,” Sproule said. “So we’re going to see what a judge says about it.”

University of Regina professor Cindy Hanson, who is also a member of the Protect Our Forests network, helped organize the event on Saturday. Hanson calls northern Saskatchewan home and sees how the destruction from the clear-cutting has impacted the environment she once knew.

“I’ve seen deer run through clear cuts that are now barren,” Hanson said. “The land is dry. If a forest fire happened, it would rip through there like crazy because the clear cutting is happening in a way that isn’t sustainable in Saskatchewan.”

Advocates are making an application in court for an administrative procedure with hopes of filing in mid-March.