Provincial Government Provides More Opportunity for Local Management of Forests

The provincial government announced that it is encouraging communities to expand their involvement in their forests. Besides covering timber harvesting rights, these agreements would also include the ability to manage recreation, wildlife, water, and viewscapes. These areas of interest could impact fourwheelers and other outdoor recreationists. If your community enters into such an agreement with the Forests and Range Ministry, make sure you get involved to make sure your interests are heard loud and clear.

WILLIAMS LAKE - The City of Williams Lake will be invited to apply for a probationary community forest agreement, Forests and Range Minister Rich Coleman announced today.

"The provincial government is committed to increasing the involvement of communities in the forest sector across British Columbia," Coleman said. "This opportunity will provide the people of Williams Lake with continued benefits from forestry in the years ahead."

The community forest agreement carries an initial five-year term, and would grant the City the rights to harvest up to 20,000 cubic metres of timber per year on public forest lands within the Williams Lake timber supply area. Community forest tenures are area-based, and give communities exclusive rights to harvest timber, as well as the opportunity to manage forest resources such as recreation, wildlife, water and scenic viewscapes.

"We identified a community forest agreement in our economic development strategic plan," said Mayor Scott Nelson. "It is worth investigating as an opportunity to continue to diversify our economy. We appreciate this opportunity to partner with the Province."

Probationary community forest agreements are a form of legal tenure by which the Province transfers decision-making to communities that wish to more fully participate in the stewardship of local Crown forest resources. They are intended to stimulate long-term employment, forest-related education and skills training as well as other social, environmental and economic benefits while meeting environmental stewardship standards.

After an initial term of five years, the agreements may be replaced with a long-term agreement for 25 to 99 years

Reference no.: 2007FOR0101-000907
Date released: Jul 11, 2007
Region: Northern Interior Forest Region
Category: General

Contact(s):
Angie Poss
Public Affairs Officer
250 387-4592

Scott Nelson
Mayor
City of Williams Lake
250 392-1771

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