North Island communities have collaborated to establish a new community forest on three separate tracts of land in the Alice Lake, Marble River and Quatse River Areas.
The area includes second-growth hemlock and douglas fir, and old-growth cedar, including many stands regenerated after a hurricane in 1908, Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson recently announced.
"North Vancouver Island has abundant forests, and it's great to see the
three Ports working together on a community forest that will support North
Island families," he said.
The North Island community forest has an allowable annual cut of 10,400 cubic metres and covers 2,400 hectares and is just one of more than 50 B.C. community forests that are operating or are in the planning stages.
But Community Forest Director Gordon Glover said the local project wouldn't have been realized without the collaboration between al local governments, community organizations and the province.
"This agreement will help provide direct benefits to the local communities while allowing for local management of our forests," he said.
Community forest agreements are a form of legal tenure that enable communities to more fully participate in the stewardship of local Crown forest resources.
Community forests are area-based and give communities exclusive rights to harvest timber, as well as the opportunity to manage and profit from other forest resources such as botanical products, recreation, wildlife, water and scenic viewscapes.