WHEREAS the Community Forest Agreement was introduced in 1998 to: - Help diversify the forest tenure system; - Empower rural people living in forest communities to develop and work towards forest management goals based on their collective values and priorities; - Increase awareness of sustainable forest management at the grass roots level; - Promote innovative forest practices; - Bring land into productive use; - Facilitate investment in community priorities; and - Enhance the sustainability of rural communities; AND WHEREAS the current regulatory environment and government policies for Community Forest Agreements do not serve the goals of the program, nor do they allow interested communities to access a community forest opportunity or provide for sufficient timber volume to address issues of economies of scale and viability: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia be petitioned to: - Revise the current Community Forest regulations and policies to facilitate achievement of the stated goals of the Community Forest Agreement Program; and - Allocate sufficient timber volume to address issues of economies of scale and viability for existing and new agreements.
Ministry of Forests and Range Through the Forestry Revitalization Plan, we committed to providing new opportunities to First Nations and smaller tenure holders. With the award of new community forests were meeting that commitment. Since August 2004, government has provided new or expanded community forest opportunities for 29 communities across the Province. These are among the first invitations, conversions and extensions. Over the next three years, as additional volume becomes available through reallocation, we may be making community forest agreements available to other communities. The community forest tenure delivers on the program goals, including diversifying the tenure system, allowing rural residents to get involved in forest management, facilitating investment in community priorities, and enhancing the stability of rural communities. It is governments goal that these new tenures are viable on a long-term basis. We acknowledge that forestry is not an easy business to enter, and that it is highly competitive. Issues like the softwood dispute and the mountain pine beetle epidemic are big challenges for all operators. Community forest agreements are small area-based tenures, which allow communities to manage their local forest resources, providing jobs and other local economic benefits. A probationary community forest agreement is good for five years, after which time it can be rolled over for a term of 25 to 99 years.