Comments are being accepted until Jan. 16, 2017, on a discussion paper released today as part of a comprehensive timber supply review for the Arrowsmith 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 Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area.

While the Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area covers 1,560,851 hectares, the productive forest land managed by government is 114,940 hectares. Of that amount, 59,721 hectares is available for timber harvesting — after reductions for ecological, economic and social considerations.

The Arrowsmith Timber Supply Area is unique in that it is made up of many disconnected parcels of land ranging in size from a few hectares to a few thousand hectares. These parcels are interspersed with private land, urban and suburban areas, rural agricultural lands, parks and reserves.

Parcels of the timber supply area are near the following communities, Nanaimo, Chemainus, Duncan, Lake Cowichan, North Cowichan, Ladysmith, Nanoose, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Union Bay, Fanny Bay, Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet.

The chief forester’s allowable annual cut determination is an independent professional judgement 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 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/tsa38/index.htm  

Copies of the discussion paper can also be viewed at the South Island Natural Resource District office: 4885 Cherry Creek Road, Port Alberni, B.C.

Learn More:

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