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The British Columbia government is protecting 54 of the province’s largest and oldest trees along with a one-hectare buffer zone surrounding each of the giants.

Forests Minister Doug Donaldson said Wednesday that the announcement is also the start of a broader conversation about the future of old-growth management in the province.

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The trees are on the University of B.C.’s Big Tree Registry that has identified 347 of the largest of each species in the province.

The 54 trees were at risk of being harvested, but now the government says they’ll be protected.

“These trees represent an important part of B.C.’s natural heritage, and British Columbians have said they want them preserved,” Donaldson said.

Ira Sutherland, the chair of the Big Tree committee, said they’re happy to see any of the trees being protected, but the number announced seems small.

“What we were hoping for is a policy to protect all big trees above a certain size so that we were to make sure that big trees are protected throughout B.C.,” he said in an interview.