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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
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| Backgrounder(s) & FactSheet(s): | Backgrounder |
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FORT ST. JAMES – Today Minister of State for Forestry Operations Roger Harris announced the extension of the Fort St. James community forest pilot agreement, giving the community continued control of its local forest resource and resulting economic benefits.
“Through the Forestry Revitalization Plan, this government committed to more community involvement in forestry through smaller tenures like community forests,” said Harris. “Fort St. James has the opportunity to create a sustainable business that feeds local industry and funnels revenues back into the community.”
“This government has backed up its promise to give communities more control of their forests with concrete action,” said Fort St. James Mayor Jim Togyi. “This extension will allow us to build on the plans we’ve put into place, creating jobs for our citizens and other economic benefits that will sustain and support the goals of our community,”
The Fort St. James community forest pilot agreement was issued in 2001. The agreement is held by the District of Fort St. James and governed by an 11-member board with representatives from all sectors of the community. The agreement allows for an annual harvest of 8,290 cubic metres of timber from the Stuart Lake Community Forest. The extension is for a further three years, with provision for conversion into a long-term agreement, following assessment by Ministry of Forests staff.
Community forest agreements are a mechanism by which the province transfers decision-making to communities that wish to more fully participate in the stewardship of their local forest resources. Community forest tenures are area-based, giving tenure holders exclusive stewardship of an area of forest land over the term of the agreement. The probationary agreements are for five years, after which they may be extended for another five years or replaced with a long-term agreement of 25 to 99 years.
For more information on this and other ministry initiatives visit: http://www.gov.bc.ca/for/ online.
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