The Forest Act requires the chief forester to reassess the allowable annual cut for each timber supply area and tree farm licence at least every five years after this review is completed. This review process is designed to be responsive to new information, new practices and new government policies. Implementation of major government initiatives such as the Forest Practices Code and the Protected Areas Strategy, and land-use recommendations from the Commission on Resources and Environment, and Land and Resource Management Plans may have significant impacts on the timber supply in specific timber supply areas and tree farm licence areas. In these cases, the allowable annual cut may be reviewed in less than five years.
A process to develop a Land and Resource Management Plan has been under way in the Bulkley Forest District since 1991. A Community Resources Board of 12 local people representing various community perspectives was formed to assist with planning. This process will lead to recommendations on new resource management objectives and strategies which balance social, economic and environmental values. Current practices will be revised so that they are consistent with these objectives.
The Bulkley Timber Supply Area is scheduled for an allowable annual cut determination in the winter of 1994. The chief forester has made a commitment to review the allowable annual cut for the timber supply area once the Land and Resource Management Plan has been approved by government, if its results show important change or variation from the results of the Timber Supply Review.
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Throughout this discussion paper the page numbers from the technical reports are provided so you can refer to them for additional information (TSAR is the Timber Supply Analysis Report; SEA is the Socio-Economic Assessment). Both reports are available from the Bulkley Forest District Office in Smithers. |
