After an extensive timber supply review, deputy chief forester Diane Nicholls announced today that the allowable annual cut for the Boundary Timber Supply Area (TSA) will remain at 700,000 cubic metres for 10 years.

The allowable annual cut in the Boundary TSA was first set at 700,000 cubic metres in 1996. The TSA covers a total area of about 659,000 hectares, with about 272,000 hectares available for timber harvesting.

The Boundary TSA contains a diverse mix of tree species with leading stands of lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, larch, spruce and subalpine fir (balsam). Other species include western redcedar, western hemlock, white pine, ponderosa pine, aspen and birch. Given the mix of tree species, this TSA has not been as adversely affected by the mountain pine beetle as areas in the central Interior.

The TSA is situated in southern British Columbia in the Kootenay Boundary Region. It is bounded on the west by the Okanagan Highland Range of the Monashee Mountains, on the east by the Christina Range and on the south by the Canada-USA border.

The largest community in the TSA is Grand Forks. Other communities include Christina Lake, Greenwood, Midway, Rock Creek, Bridesville and Beaverdell.

Quote:

Diane Nicholls, deputy chief forester -

“After considering all of the available information on timber and non-timber resources in the Boundary TSA, I am confident that maintaining the allowable annual cut provides a balance between the need to support a mid-term timber supply and the potential need for harvesting capacity that may be required if the mountain pine beetle infestation worsens in the Boundary Timber Supply 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.
• The allowable annual cut accounts for a range of important values, including cultural heritage resources, biodiversity and wildlife, and socio-economic considerations.
• 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/tsa/tsa02/index.htm

Media Contacts:

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