Business and industry leaders, members of the public, First Nations and local politicians gathered to celebrate a local milestone today in Prince George – the planting of the one-billionth tree in the Prince George Natural Resource District since planting began in the area in 1959.

MLA for Prince George-Valemount Shirley Bond and MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie Mike Morris were joined by councillor Susan Scott, acting mayor on behalf of mayor Lyn Hall, and Lheidli T’enneh Chief Dominic Frederick to commemorate the occasion with the planting of a spruce tree at the Central British Columbia Railway and Forestry Museum. A plaque will also be placed alongside the spruce tree.

The Prince George district, covering 4,853,849 hectares, is the heart of the province’s forest sector. The district originally covered 3,394,518 hectares from the intersection of Bobtail Forest Service Road and Highway 16 in the west to the Alberta border in the east, and Mount Reynolds in the north, south to Bowron Lake Park. It was expanded in 2010 to include the Robson Valley.

An average of approximately 21 million seedlings are planted on 15,000 hectares each year in the Prince George district. This takes about 30,000 person days to complete and generates around $6 million in economic activity from the tree planting alone.

Silviculture-related employment and activity created from growing, planting, and managing these trees results in about 42,000 person days of employment each year in the Prince George district and contributes approximately $9.5 million in GDP to the local economy.

Up to five different species are planted in the district but the vast majority is spruce and pine. Economically, spruce is one of the most important and valuable species in British Columbia.

Among other purposes, First Nations have used different varieties of spruce for canoes, snowshoe frames, drying racks, bows, pots and trays, and black spruce resin was even used to help speed healing. Commercially, different varieties of spruce are used for lumber, plywood, pulp, and specialty items such as violins, pianos and aircraft parts. The anticipated future GDP from each year’s planting is approximately $325 million.

Young, growing trees sequester carbon and are an important ally in the Province’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The trees planted in the Prince George district are expected to produce about 2.8 million cubic metres of wood in 65 years and capture about 2.3 million tonnes of carbon. The buildings, instruments, recreational products, art and many other items created from these trees all act as long-term bank accounts to store and lock away carbon – some items for 100 years and beyond. Every cubic metre of wood used as a building material is equivalent to capturing and sequestering approximately one tonne of carbon dioxide.

Provincewide, the seven-billionth tree was planted in Maple Ridge in 2013. The eight-billionth tree is on track to be planted in 2018.

(flickr.com)

Quotes:

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

“The forest sector is one of B.C.’s key economic drivers, with revenues supporting vital public services like health care and education. Having planted one-billion trees in a single district helps ensure that future generations can enjoy the same benefits of this resource that we have.”

Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount –

“Nearly 42,000 person days of work and $9.5 million in GDP is generated every year by tree planting and silviculture work. This work helps keep Prince George residents employed and is an important part of our local and provincial economies.”

Mike Morris, MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie –

"Reforesting after harvest and in areas that have been impacted by the mountain pine beetle and wildfire helps to sequester carbon and re-establish critical wildlife habitat that was severely impacted.”

Lyn Hall, mayor, Prince George –

“With an anticipated future GDP from each year’s planting valued at $325 million, reforestation efforts in the Prince George Natural Resource District are part of plans to keep the local economy strong and growing.”

Chief Dominic Frederick, Lheidli T’enneh First Nation –

“First Nations have relied on the forests in B.C. since time immemorial. While we look to generate economic opportunity through harvesting and using timber, it is imperative that we also preserve this resource for future generations. Diligent reforestation ensures this will happen.”

Quick Facts:

• By law, forest companies are required to reforest the areas they harvest.
• Investments through the Province’s Forests for Tomorrow program have also contributed to reforestation in the Prince George Natural Resource District, with 16 million seedlings covering about 11,000 hectares being planted since 2005. This has added about 1.5 million cubic metres of timber volume in areas impacted by the mountain pine beetle and wildfire.
• Through the Forests for Tomorrow program, more than 45,000 hectares have been fertilized since 2005 in order to improve mid-term timber supplies in this area.
• Recent Forests for Tomorrow planting in the district is about 2.5 million seedlings on approximately 1,500 hectares per year, an equivalent of approximately 3,000 person days and $600,000 in economic activity from tree planting alone.

Learn More:

British Columbia’s strategy for continued growth in the forest sector “Our Natural Advantage: Forest Sector Strategy for British Columbia”: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/forestsectorstrategy/Forest_Strategy_WEB.PDF

A backgrounder follows.