Effective immediately, the allowable annual cut for TimberWest's tree farm licence 47 will decrease slightly from 646,793 cubic metres to 630,000 cubic metres, deputy chief forester Jim Sutherland announced today.

In making his decision, Sutherland set a "partition" allowing only up to 365,000 cubic metres per year to be harvested from the South Central Coast portion of the tree farm licence to provide for a broad range of options available as ecosystem based management evolves in this area. This harvest level is also consistent with commitments in the Nanwakolas Reconciliation Protocol signed July 2011.

Tree farm licence 47 covers 125,004 hectares, with 84,601 hectares available for timber harvesting over two distinct geographic areas. The Bonanza Lake management unit, on northern Vancouver Island, is near the communities of Port McNeill, Alert Bay, Sointula, Beaver Cove and Telegraph Cove. The Johnstone Strait management unit is close to Campbell River and Sayward, and includes islands in the Johnstone Strait and parts of the southern portion of the Great Bear Rainforest. Forests are composed of both second-growth and old-growth stands and the most common tree species are Western hemlock and Douglas-fir - with lesser amounts of western red cedar, cypress, balsam and alder.

Quote:

Deputy chief forester Jim Sutherland -

"I believe the new allowable annual cut level is sustainable and respects First Nations' interest in the area."

Quick Facts:

• The deputy chief forester's determination is an independent professional judgement based on information ranging from technical forestry reports, First Nations and public input to the government's social and economic objectives.

• Under the timber supply review, the chief forester or deputy chief forester must determine how much wood can be harvested in each of the province's 34 tree farm licences and 38 timber supply areas at least once every 10 years.

• A new allowable annual cut may be determined earlier in response to abnormal situations, or postponed for up to five years if an allowable annual cut level is not expected to change significantly.

Learn More:

A copy of this allowable annual cut decision is available online at: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hts/tfls.htm

Media Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
250 356-5261