Campaign sprouts up to save Echo Lake old-growth forest

Metro News online article

Echo Lake, between Mission and Agassiz, has become the focal point behind a new campaign aimed at protecting old-growth forests and eagle roosting areas around the province.

Conservationists with the Ancient Forest Alliance are calling for the provincial government to protect Echo Lake’s forest.

Areas containing some of the lake’s old-growth trees would be excluded from the province’s proposed Old-Growth Management Area.

“This is really an extremely rare gem of lowland ancient rainforest in a sea of second-growth forests, clearcuts and high altitude old-growth patches,” said Ken Wu, executive director of the Ancient Forest Alliance. “To still have an unprotected lowland ancient forest like this left near Vancouver is like finding a Sasquatch. How many jurisdictions on earth still have trees that grow as wide as living rooms and as tall as downtown skyscrapers. What we have here in B.C. is something exceptional.”

The government is currently in the midst of a 60-day public input process into their proposed management plan.

The alliance hopes enough public engagement would help protect the entire old-growth forest at Echo Lake.