ENDERBY - The Province has tendered a new woodlot east of Enderby, near Ashton Creek, a move that will help create job opportunities in the region, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Steve Thomson announced today.

The Province is accepting bids from prospective operators looking to manage the 1,189-hectare woodlot, which includes two separate blocks and a total allowable annual cut of 4,250 cubic metres.

Deadline for bids on the Enderby woodlot is Dec. 3, 2014. Application forms and details are available online; see Notice #8730 at: http://www23.for.gov.bc.ca/notices/init.do

Last year, the Province announced new woodlots for the Rocky Mountain, Selkirk and 100 Mile House natural resource districts. Those licences were awarded this year.

Woodlots 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 are a great way to boost regional economic development. Woodlot licences support rural communities like Enderby.”

Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo -

“This new woodlot will help keep jobs in the Okanagan and give local communities a greater say in how local forest resources are managed. A strong forestry sector has spin-off benefits for our communities supporting other key sectors such as small business and manufacturing.”

Federation of British Columbia Woodlots general manager Brian McNaughton -

“The increase in woodlots licences in the Okanagan area is a clear sign that woodlots do work for a community. 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.”

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 Contacts:

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