Ancient Canadian forest to be protected

VANCOUVER - Canada is to protect a vast swath of intact temperate rainforest along its Pacific coast, under an agreement unveiled yesterday between the British Columbia Government, local indigenous peoples, environmental groups and major logging companies.

The unprecedented plan covers 2.39 million hectares, or a third of the 8.5 million hectare Great Bear rainforest, starting about 240km north of Vancouver and stretching as far as the Alaska border.

The area will be turned into a sanctuary for a host of species, including grizzly and black bears, as well as rare white "spirit" bears, wolves and wolverine, and eagles and other spectacular birds of prey.

The glacier-etched fjords and rivers of the region are also spawning ground for 20 per cent of the world's wild salmon.

Under the agreement, the logging companies will be allowed to work the rest of the forest, but under strict rules designed to safeguard the ecosystem. Even in this semi-open area, specified tracts - key valleys, animal breeding areas and fish rivers - will be spared from the chainsaw entirely. Indigenous groups will have an expanded role in management.

- INDEPENDENT