WHEREAS community forests are area based forest tenures managed by and for BC communities and while the number of Community Forest Agreements CFAs has increased rapidly in the last decade to represent 1.5 of the provincial AAC, the size and area of many existing CFAs are not viable and many additional communities have expressed an interest to participate in the program; AND WHEREAS the Community Forest Agreements have and will continue to supply benefits such as employment, wood products, timber supply to local milling facilities, aesthetic, recreational and watershed values to 54 communities in the province even during the economic downturn; AND WHEREAS as a result of the findings of the Provinces Working Roundtable on Forestrys March 2009 Report, recommendation 23, the Minister of Forests and Range has committed to expanding the Community Forest Program: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia be petitioned to implement the Forestry Roundtable recommendation 23 to expand the Community Forest Agreement Program in a manner that maintains the objectives of this unique tenure.
Ministry of Forests, Lands Mines The Community Forest Agreement Program has expanded rapidly. Today, B.C. has 39 operating community forests, almost three times as many as in 2007, managing 1.2 million hectares with an annual allowable cut of 1.1 million cubic meters. In 2009, the Forest Act was amended to eliminate the five year probationary period. The result is that the initial term of a Community Forest Agreement CFA was extended to a minimum of 25 years. This allows holders to develop operations, clients and financing for the long term. The Ministry is currently transitioning 21 five year probationary licences into 25 year agreements. Since March 2009, one existing community forest has been granted an increase in size 6500ha, three more communities 123K m3 have been given opportunities for a community forest, and there is approximately 120K m3 available in existing plans for future expansion. Aside from the 120K m3 in existing plans there is no other volume available. Any expansion to the CFA program is at the expense of other programs woodlots, first nations, etc. Government is always trying to find the right mixbalance. When more volume becomes available the expansion of CFAs will be considered.