Comments are being accepted until May 24, 2016, on a discussion paper released today as part of a comprehensive timber supply review for the Prince George 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 in the Prince George Timber Supply Area.

The Prince George Timber Supply Area, the largest in the Province, covers approximately 7.97 million hectares in the north-central portion of the province, with approximately 3.1 million hectares available for timber harvesting.

The City of Prince George is the largest community in the timber supply area which includes the municipalities of Vanderhoof and Fort St. James and Village of Fraser Lake, as well as several smaller unincorporated communities.

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.

In April 2015, the Province and seven Carrier Sekani First Nations, whose territories encompass the Prince George Timber Supply Area, signed an agreement which provides a framework to deepen collaboration on a range of issues – including allowable annual cut decisions.

Government has been consulting with First Nations throughout this timber supply review regarding the potential impacts of the chief forester’s allowable annual cut determination on First Nations interests.

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 the current allowable annual cut postponed for up to five years if it is not expected to change significantly.

To download a copy of the discussion paper, visit the following Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations forest analysis and inventory branch webpage: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hts/tsa/tsa24/index.htm

Copies of the discussion paper can be viewed at: Prince George Natural Resource District: 2000 S. Ospika Boulevard, Prince George; Stuart Nechako Natural Resource District: 2537 Stones Bay Road, Fort St. James; Vanderhoof Office, Stuart Nechako Natural Resource District 1560 HWY 16 East, Vanderhoof.

Visit the Forest Analysis and Inventory Branch website: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hts/