Comments are being accepted until Nov. 24, 2015, on a discussion paper released today as part of a comprehensive timber supply review for the Kamloops Timber Supply Area.

Public feedback on the discussion paper will be considered by the chief forester before setting the new allowable annual cut. The discussion paper provides the results of the timber supply analysis, including a base-case harvest forecast. It also describes the geography, natural resources and current forest management practices of the Kamloops Timber Supply Area.

The Kamloops Timber Supply Area covers 2.77 million hectares in south central B.C. with approximately 1.7 million hectares available for timber harvesting.

The communities of Kamloops, Clearwater, Logan Lake, Chase, Barriere, Cache Creek and Ashcroft are the largest in the timber supply area. Smaller communities include Vavenby, Little Fort and Blue River. As well, 10 First Nations communities are in the area with a total population of about 5,000.

The chief forester’s allowable annual cut determination is an independent professional judgment based on information such as technical forestry reports and input from First Nations and the public.

Under the Forest Act, the chief forester must determine the maximum amount of wood that can be harvested in each of the province’s 38 timber supply areas and 34 tree farm licences at least once every 10 years. However, 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.

To download a copy of the discussion paper, visit the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations forest analysis and inventory branch website: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hts/tsa/tsa11/index.htm

To view a copy of the discussion paper, visit the Thompson Rivers Natural Resource District office at 1265 Dalhousie Dr., Kamloops.