British Columbians are invited to review and comment on amended old growth management areas for the San Josef Landscape Unit on northwestern Vancouver Island until Aug. 29, 2016.

The proposed amendments are intended to enhance the design of old growth management areas to better represent wildlife, old growth and non-timber values in the San Josef Landscape Unit.

Members of the public are invited to submit comments about the proposed land use objectives during a 60-day review and comment period that ends on Aug. 29, 2016. Written comments may be sent to:

“OGMA Comments”
North Island-Central Coast Natural Resource District
Box 7000, Port McNeill, B.C. V0N 2R0
Comments may also be emailed to: SJOGMAComments@gov.bc.ca

More information on strategic land and resource planning for the San Josef Landscape Unit, as well as a map of the area, is available at: https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/TASB/SLRP/NVI_san_josef.html

The San Josef Landscape Unit covers an area of approximately 93,000 hectares and is located on the northwest portion of Vancouver Island. The communities of Quatsino and Winter Harbour are located within the unit’s boundaries.

The creation of old growth management areas reflects the B.C. government’s ongoing commitment to manage land use and resource development responsibly, protect old-growth forests, promote biodiversity and preserve valuable ecosystems for the enjoyment of all British Columbians.

Quick Facts:

• A landscape unit is a natural resource planning area that may cover up to 100,000 hectares. A landscape unit’s boundaries are defined according to topographic or geographic features such as a watershed or a series of watersheds.
• The proposed amendments to the San Josef Landscape Unit will repeal land use objectives established in 2005.
• There are currently over 49,000 old growth management areas in B.C. covering almost 3.1 million hectares.
• A total of about 4.5 million hectares of old-growth forest are protected in British Columbia within old growth management areas, provincial parks, national parks, ecological reserves, land conservancies and recreational areas.