COMMENTS INVITED ON WILLIAMS LAKE TIMBER SUPPLY REVIEW

VICTORIA – The Ministry of Forests and Range is inviting public comment as part of a review of the Williams Lake timber supply area. Responses submitted by September 18, 2006 will be considered by the chief forester to determine a new allowable annual cut later this fall.

The review is necessary because the mountain pine beetle continues to affect the amount of timber available for harvest. A discussion paper released today by the Ministry of Forests and Range projects that most of the pine beetle damage will occur west of the Fraser River, in forests that are comprised of at least 70 per cent pine.

The paper also suggests that the order in which individual tree stands are scheduled for harvest can significantly impact the total volume available and its economic value. Other interests considered include caribou habitat and scenery, and impacts of focusing the harvest on forest stands most affected by the beetle.

The discussion paper is available on the B.C Government website at:

www.for.gov.bc.ca/hts/tsa/tsa29/ or from the forest district offices in Alexis Creek and Williams Lake, and the Southern Interior Forest Region office in Kamloops.

Public open houses will also be held on the following days:

· Alexis Creek – Aug. 21 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Alexis Creek Community Hall

· Williams Lake – Aug. 22 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Williams Lake Curling Rink

· Anahim Lake – Aug. 22 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Anahim Lake Community Hall

· Horsefly – Aug. 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Horsefly Community Hall

· Tatla Lake – Aug. 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tatla Lake Community Hall

· Likely – Aug. 24 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Likely Community Hall

The chief forester determines how much wood can be harvested in each of British Columbia’s 37 timber supply areas and 34 tree farm licences every five years. The chief forester can set harvest levels more frequently to deal with abnormal situations such as insect infestations or wildfires.

Allowable annual cut determinations are independent professional judgments based on information such as technical forestry reports, public input, and government’s social and economic objectives. The Williams Lake timber supply area currently has an allowable annual cut of 3.765 million cubic metres.

Visit www.for.gov.bc.ca/hts/ for information about the timber supply process, and www.gov.bc.ca/pinebeetle to learn more about mountain pine beetles.

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Media contact:	Ken Brahniuk Operations Manager Central Cariboo Forest District 250 398-4345	Grant Feldinger Tenures Officer Chilcotin Forest District 250 394-4700

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