Effective July 13, 2017, the allowable annual cut for Canadian Forest Products Ltd.’s Tree Farm Licence (TFL) 18, northwest of Clearwater, is 175,000 cubic metres, chief forester Diane Nicholls announced today.

After five years, the cut level will decrease to 137,000 cubic metres.

While the mountain pine beetle epidemic has subsided and the salvage logging of dead pine has largely been completed in TFL 18, the harvest focus will be on salvaging dead stands and stands infested by other pests–such as spruce bark beetle and western balsam bark beetle. 

The new cut level is 40% less than the 290,000 cubic metres set in 2006 and reflects a return to lower harvest levels in place before the mountain pine beetle epidemic began.

TFL 18 covers an area of 74,266 hectares, of which, 53,306 hectares are available for timber harvesting. The leading tree species include spruce, lodgepole pine, balsam, Douglas-fir, western hemlock and western redcedar.

Quote:

Diane Nicholls, chief forester –

“Now that the mountain pine beetle infestation has subsided and salvage harvesting in Tree Farm Licence 18 is complete, I am satisfied that this new allowable annual cut is sustainable, respects First Nations’ interests, takes into account biodiversity, wildlife and socio-economic concerns, and will facilitate the salvage of dead and infested spruce and balsam stands.”

Quick Facts:

• The chief forester’s allowable annual cut determination is an independent, professional judgment based on information ranging from technical forestry reports, First Nations and public input to the government’s social and economic objectives.
• Under the Forest Act, the chief forester must determine the allowable annual cut in each of the province’s 37 timber supply areas and 34 tree farm licences at least once every 10 years.

Learn More:

A copy of this allowable annual cut decision is available online at: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hts/tfls.htm