The Province is accepting bids on a new woodlot licence near Wonowon, 83 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John, in a move that will generate new job opportunities across the region, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson announced today.

Woodlot W2102 covers 1,133 hectares of Crown land and has an initial allowable annual cut of 2,457 cubic metres. The rent is $1,474 per year.

Deadline for submissions is March 31, 2014. Applications and details are available online; see Notice ID 8392 at: http://www23.for.gov.bc.ca/notices/init.do

In February, the Province announced it was accepting bids on the 1,118-hectare woodlot W2098, 95 kilometres northwest of Dawson Creek. The initial allowable annual cut on the woodlot is 1,763 cubic metres. Deadline for submissions was March 5, 2014.

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 of Crown land in the Interior. The Province's 860 woodlots generate local jobs in planning, harvesting, road construction and maintenance, reforestation, silviculture and small-scale timber processing.

Quotes:

Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson -

"Woodlots help bring increased economic activity to rural communities and provide an opportunity for rural British Columbians to directly manage forest land. Government is actively increasing the number of woodlot licences in support of B.C.'s forest sector strategy and long-term forestry-sector sustainability."

Minister of Agriculture and Peace River North MLA Pat Pimm -

"This new woodlot is an important step as we look for ways to enhance the timber supply, protect jobs and enhance community involvement in managing our local forest resources."

General manager, Federation of BC Woodlot Associations, Brian McNaughton -

"Woodlot licensees and woodlot owners help support a healthy and diverse forest industry that makes significant contributions to local communities and provides a sustainable supply of forest products. This new woodlot is good news for the Peace River region and the province as a whole."

Learn More:

Forest Sector Strategy for B.C.: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/forestsectorstrategy/

Woodlot licences: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hth/timber-tenures/woodlots/index.htm

Federation of B.C. Woodlot Associations: http://www.woodlot.bc.ca

Media Contact:

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