Documentary Reflection
July 18, 2026 By: Julia Morgan
One environmental issue that I have been following is the ongoing logging of old-growth forests in British Columbia. According to a March 2026 Global News report, proposed logging areas continue to overlap with ancient forests that the province’s advisory panel identified as facing very high or imminent risk of biodiversity loss. Members of the former panel have argued that the province is not adequately protecting the forests most at risk (Owen, 2026).
I believe endangered old-growth forests require protection. These ecosystems, including the microorganisms, mycorrhizal fungal networks, and carbon-rich soils below ground, have developed over centuries and cannot be replaced simply by planting new trees. Furthermore, any protection efforts must involve the First Nations whose territories are affected. First Nations and forestry communities also need viable economic alternatives, so they are not forced to choose between environmental conservation and their communities’ well-being.
The documentary If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front prompted me to consider why some environmental protesters resort to extreme actions. The 2011 film documents Daniel McGowan’s involvement with the Earth Liberation Front and his participation in arson attacks against timber-related businesses in Oregon. While I do not condone arson or property destruction, the documentary provided insight into how activists may become frustrated when peaceful protests are disregarded.
The treatment of some protesters was particularly striking. The film illustrated the imbalance of power among protesters, police, governments, and large corporations. It led me to question the extent to which government decisions are influenced by corporate and sector interests. Protesters who believed they were defending forests were regarded as threats, even as legal environmental destruction persisted. When activists engaged in property destruction, public attention shifted from the forests to debates about whether the activists should be labelled as criminals or terrorists. As a result, their actions may have undermined the environmental message they intended to convey.
The Fairy Creek blockades on Vancouver Island offer a current example of civil disobedience. Starting in 2020, protesters blocked logging roads to protect old-growth forests. Over 1,100 individuals were arrested, making Fairy Creek one of the largest civil disobedience actions in recent Canadian history. The protests raised public awareness of old-growth logging and led to temporary logging deferrals in portions of the Fairy Creek watershed. However, the broader issue remained unresolved, as old-growth logging persisted elsewhere in British Columbia.
This issue also prompted me to reflect on former B.C. premier John Horgan. During the 2020 provincial election campaign, the BC NDP pledged to implement all 14 recommendations from the Old Growth Strategic Review. Horgan asserted that many old-growth forests held greater value standing than they would after being logged. Although his government announced temporary deferrals, environmental groups and advisory panel members argued that logging of endangered old-growth forests continued.
This does not establish that corporations directly influenced Horgan’s decisions. However, it illustrates how political promises can become challenging to fulfill when governments face pressure from forestry companies, employment concerns, communities, government revenue, and existing logging rights. It also clarifies why some activists lose confidence in established political processes, believing that elections, reports, and public consultations are insufficient when logging continues during ongoing policy discussions.
Overall, I believe that civil disobedience can contribute to environmental progress when it is peaceful and emphasizes accountability. Although Fairy Creek did not permanently safeguard all threatened forests, it delayed logging, increased public awareness, and pressured the government to act. Civil disobedience alone does not achieve lasting change. Continuing protection requires legislation, Indigenous-led governance, financial support for communities, and viable alternatives to old-growth logging.
If a Tree Falls demonstrated that frustration with government and corporate power can drive individuals toward extreme actions. However, it also revealed that destructive actions overshadow the environmental issue itself. Peaceful civil disobedience is most effective when it draws attention to an issue that has been ignored and pressures governments to respond.
Owen, B. (2026, March 13). B.C. appointed them to map old-growth. Now they say the province is failing to save it. Global News.
https://globalnews.ca/news/11729344/b-c-appointed-them-to-map-old-growth-now-they-say-province-is-failing-to-save-it/
The Narwhal. (n.d.). Fairy Creek blockade and old-growth forests in B.C.
https://thenarwhal.ca/topics/fairy-creek-blockade/
BC NDP. (2020, October 19). A new approach to old forests.
https://www.bcndp.ca/latest/new-approach-old-forests
PBS. (2011). If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front.
https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/ifatreefalls/