COMMUNITY FOREST PARTNERSHIP TO BENEFIT CHETWYND AREA

CHETWYND – Today Peace River South MLA Blair Lekstrom joined Forests Minister Michael de Jong in announcing a community forest opportunity that will benefit the District of Chetwynd, local First Nations and Northern Lights College.

“Government has provided an opportunity with the potential to bring out the best of what a community forest can offer – partnerships between First Nations and non-First Nations communities, educational opportunities for future forest workers, and jobs and revenue to benefit the northeast,” said Lekstrom.

“This government is listening to communities across B.C. that have been asking for greater control of their local resources,” said de Jong. “Opportunities such as today’s are providing employment and skills training, a foundation for innovative new partnerships, and timber to support local mills and value-added operations.”

The District of Chetwynd, the West Moberly First Nation and other area First Nations are working together to form a partnership. The proponents will be invited to apply for a probationary community forest agreement, providing about 20,000 cubic metres of timber annually in the Dawson Creek timber supply area. Before a formal invitation can be extended, the Ministry of Forests must complete consultation with area First Nations.

“This opportunity will bring together our communities – the District of Chetwynd, First Nations and the forestry faculty at Northern Lights College,” said District of Chetwynd Mayor Evan Saugstad. “Revenue from this tenure can be used to meet our communities’ educational, health and recreational needs, while providing an important training ground for our forestry students.”

“We look forward to co-operatively working with the District of Chetwynd and Saulteau First Nations in a mutually beneficial partnership,” said West Moberly Chief Roland Willson. “In addition to training and long-term employment for all communities, it will undoubtedly provide a foundation to enhance our local working relationships with a mutual respect towards each partner’s unique values and interests.”

“If awarded, this community forest tenure will provide an invaluable hands-on learning environment for the next generation of forestry professionals,” said Northern Lights College forest resources instructor Greg Lay. Northern Lights College’s forestry faculty would manage the tenure, incorporating its management and planning into its Forest Resources Technology curriculum.

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 the agreement-holders exclusive stewardship of an area of forest land over the term of the agreement. The probationary agreements are initially for five years, at which time they may be extended for another five years or replaced with a long-term agreement of 25 to 99 years. Since August 2004, government has provided community forest opportunities for 19 communities across the province.

For more information on this community forest agreement opportunity and other ministry programs visit: http://www.gov.bc.ca/for/ online.

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1 backgrounder(s) attached.
Media contact:	Don McDonald Communications Director Ministry of Forests 250 387-8486

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