People living in rural communities throughout the province will soon benefit from B.C. government grants that will support new jobs and economic opportunities to help them recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) has allocated $3 million in new grants throughout the province to support jobs in the forestry sector and increase the use of wood fibre that otherwise would be burned as slash.

People living in the Village of Granisle will benefit from reduced wildfire risk when a buffer of birch and cottonwood trees are planted around the community.

A grant of $443,400 from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC to the Terrace Community Forest (TCF) is helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and use wood fibre that would otherwise be burned.

With the help of a $1.25-million grant from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC, the Cheslatta Carrier Nation is rehabilitating tree stands that were severely damaged by wildfires in 2018 and re-establishing productive forest ecosystems.

Forestry workers, contractors and First Nations in and around Clearwater, Vavenby and Adams Lake will benefit from the transfer of Canfor’s Vavenby forest tenures to Interfor.

In response to the end of the mountain pine beetle epidemic and salvage of dead pine in the Lakes Timber Supply Area (TSA), the new allowable annual cut (AAC) for the Lakes TSA will be 970,000 cubic metres, effective immediately.

Staff from the BC Wildfire Service and the Williams Lake Community Forest are planning to burn piles of woody debris west of Williams Lake to help reduce wildfire risks and enhance wildlife habitat in the area.