BC Ministry of Forests approves logging in southern mountain caribou habitat near Quesnel Lake despite internal warning

The British Columbia Ministry of Forests approved logging in southern mountain caribou habitat near Quesnel Lake despite an internal assessment from another provincial ministry warning that the planned activity could harm the threatened herd, residents and government documents say. The concerns center on authorizations sought by West Fraser Timber for four areas and on a July 2025 memo from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship that recommended against the logging.

Mike James, a resident near the caribou range, said the situation has left him worried about the animals’ survival. He said the decision is baffling given that southern mountain caribou are listed as threatened under Canada’s Species at Risk Act, and he fears the herd near his family’s cabin could be further destabilized. “It just leaves me speechless,” James said.

Southern mountain caribou, also known as deep snow caribou, feed on lichens in high-altitude parts of old-growth forest. Their range is concentrated in eastern B.C. but includes pockets in western B.C. and along the U.S. border. Government figures from 2023 estimate fewer than 1,400 animals across 18 herds, with just under 200 in the area...