Rural Forestry
While forestry remains an important industry in British Columbia, its evolution, driven by a number of factors including technological change and industry consolidation has led to an overall drop in sector employment, and economic hardship in many rural BC communities traditionally highly dependent on forestry operations for tax revenues and employment. While there are no easy fixes, the emergence of Community Forests — locally owned and controlled forest tenures — may prove at least a partial solution for communities looking to stimulate economic activity and exert more control over their immediate environments.
Key Links & Success Stories
BC Community Forest Association
BC First Nations Forestry Council
Small Oregon mill "branches out"!
Harrop-Procter Community Forest Shines
Valemount Community Forest to spur economic opportunity in the Robson Valley
Likely-Xatsull Community Forest case study
Have sawmill, will travel — Lower North Thompson Community Forest
Documents
Making British Columbia's Forest Economic Engine Great (ILMA, 2016)
Growing the BC Interior Value Added Wood Sector (a SIBAC report, 2013)
Schultz, Ortner, Sunderman: Submission to the BC Interior Forestry Revitalization Engagement
First Nations Forestry Council Submission to the BC Interior Forestry Engagement
BC First Nations Forest Strategy (May 2019)
Restoring Forestry in BC (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)
Making Forest Policy More Effective (OBAC)
SIBAC Submission to the Mid-Term Special Committee on Timber Supply
SIBAC Area Based Tenure Consultation Submission
Growing the BC Interior — Value-Added Wood Sector
Forest Policy Decision-Making: the Case for Greater Community Consultation and Engagement
Contractor Sustainability: A Personal Perspective (from Truck Logger BC)
Related Articles
After eight months of camping out to protect old-growth forests from logging, Fairy Creek activists have been told their blockades…
Read More
BC Rural Centre Executive Director Gordon Borgstrom and BC Community Forest Association Executive Director Jennifer Gunter discuss trends, challenges, and…
Read More
Splatsin First Nation councillor George William and Lumby mayor Kevin Acton discuss how their respective communities came together to create…
Read More
B.C.Premier John Horgan announced the provincial government is moving to help revive the provincial forest industry by requiring the use of…
Read More
People in the Cowichan Lake communities and Pacheedaht First Nation will benefit from a unique community forest agreement for the…
Read More
Do you have a relevant story, report, or link you'd like us to share?
Send us an email and let us know...