Wednesday April 14, 2021
KELOWNA – The Federation of BC Woodlot Associations (FBCWA) has released its first Woodlot Licence program report in over a decade. Woodlot licences are small area-based forest tenures.
The report looks at what sets the ‘Woodlot Licence’ apart from other forest tenures in BC. It provides a brief history, examples of innovation and excellence in forest management and highlights the social, environmental and economic contributions woodlot licences provide to local communities throughout BC.
This unique tenure – having individuals manage Crown forest land, often combined with their own private forest land – was structured to promote small scale enterprises and a stewardship oriented approach to managing forests.
Currently, BC has 850 woodlot licences, accounting for nearly 600,000 hectares of managed forestland. Collectively, they account for ~1.4% of all timber harvested annually in BC. While that might seem like a small percentage, woodlot licences are a big deal on BC’s forest landscape because they are about much more than timber.
They are very much aligned with the model of forest stewardship outlined in the April 12th throne speech delivered by Lt -Gov Janet Austin, stating that “Land management practices will be updated to improve forest stewardship and emphasize environmental protection. The forest sector will be supported to move from volume to value — using innovation to improve management, support communities and generate economic opportunity.”
The Federation of BC Woodlot Associations was founded in 1988 and represents 18 woodlot associations, whose membership includes woodlot licensees and small private woodland owners throughout British Columbia who are committed to practicing exemplary forest and natural resource management.
Find the Woodlot Program Report here: https://woodlot.bc.ca/publications-reports/
Contact:
Brian McNaughton
General Manager
Gen_Manager@bcwoodlot.bc.ca
To learn more about BC’s woodlot licences please visit us at woodlot.bc.ca
