Industry was represented by four logging companies with tenure on the coast - Weyerhaeuser, Western Forest Products, West Fraser Timber and International Forest Products (Interfor); and two pulp companies who purchase coastal fibre - Canfor and Norske Skog Canada (formerly Fletcher Challenge Canada). The four logging companies agreed to a logging moratorium on more than 100 pristine valleys in the Great Bear Rainforest until the discussions could be completed in 2001.

The four environmental groups at the talks were Greenpeace, the Sierra Club of British Columbia, the Coastal Rainforest Coalition (CRC), and the Rainforest Action Network (RAN). In return for the logging moratorium, Greenpeace, CRC and RAN agreed to put any international markets work focused on these six companies on hold for the duration.

© Greenpeace/McAllister

Despite our initial optimism about the potential these discussions offered for progress towards sustainable logging practices in British Columbia, it was clear early on that some of the industry participants were far from committed to the concept of sustainable, ecosystem based logging.

In March, West Fraser announced that it had sold a number of its holdings in the Great Bear Rainforest to a small business operator which did not wish to participate in the talks. West Fraser left the table, taking with them their remaining valleys. Less than a month later, Interfor, the company with the single biggest holdings in the area, also opted out of the talks, choosing the path of clearcuts and conflict over peaceful resolution. Almost half the valleys were removed from the voluntary moratorium with their departure from the talks.

Although the remaining four CFCI companies maintained their commitment to the process, all four - particularly the pulp companies Canfor and Norske-Skog - were and are customers of Interfor. Although they understood and accepted that Greenpeace would once again be targeting Interfor in the marketplace, alerting customers to the company's destructive logging practices, they were unwilling to take any substantive steps to phase out their own use of Interfor's "dirty" wood.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts by Greenpeace to resolve this issue of principle, the CFCI companies flatly refused to continue meeting with us. For more information, read the press release.

The good news is that the CFCI companies are still talking to the other environmental groups, so all progress has not stopped. Greenpeace will continue to work with our allies to ensure that the final proposal is as ecologically sound as possible.

The bad news is that the majority of the key rainforest areas still have no protection from the chainsaws of Interfor and West Fraser. In addition, the Provincial Government of British Columbia's Small Business Forest Enterprise Program, which includes critical ancient rainforest areas essential for inclusion in any logging moratorium, has not yet joined the process.

Greenpeace will continue to encourage all buyers of B.C. forest products to ensure no Interfor or West Fraser timber or fibre is being sold, distributed or included in products they purchase from British Columbia until these companies commit to protect their remaining intact rainforest valleys and key ecological areas.