Forests
BURNS LAKE - Woodlot licensees Alistair Schroff and Earl Ingram - the best in the province this year - are recipients of the Minister's Award of Excellence for Woodlot Management, Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad announced on behalf of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson.
Schroff and Ingram have co-managed a woodlot between Burns Lake and Francois Lake for the past 13 years. They manage their woodlot with a strong focus on site productivity, including reforesting with a variety of tree species to increase resilience to disease and climate change.
They also play an important role sharing knowledge and experience with ministry staff and other woodlot licensees around the province to help meet forest stewardship goals.
Three regional awards are given for excellence in woodlot management - one for the Northern Interior, one for the Southern Interior and one for the Coast. A top performer in the province is also recognized from the three regional winners.
Schroff and Ingram are the award recipients for the Northern Interior region and will receive $2,500. They also will receive an additional $1,000 for being selected as the provincial winner.
In June, Quadra Island woodlot owner Grant Hayden was announced as the award winner for the Coast. The winner for the Southern Interior region has yet to be named.
Finalists were evaluated by a team with representation from the Federation of BC Woodlot Associations and the ministry.
Nominations for the 2011 awards are due Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011.
Quick Facts:
- Woodlot licences are small, area-based tenures that combine private land with up to 800 hectares of Crown land on the Coast and 1,200 hectares in the Interior, and are managed by individuals, groups or First Nations.
- Woodlots are replaceable tenures, usually awarded for an initial term of 20 years.
- British Columbia has about 860 active woodlots. Each woodlot generates jobs in planning, harvesting, road construction and maintenance, reforestation, silviculture and small-scale timber processing.
Learn More:
About the Federation of BC Woodlot Associations:
About the Awards of Excellence for Woodlot Management: www.woodlot.bc.ca/PDF/MinAwardProgram-1pager20100914.pdf
Media Contact:
Cheekwan Ho
Public Affairs Officer
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261
