The licensee review reiterates the importance of forestry in this timber supply area, noting that 36 per cent of all employment depends on forestry. It characterizes this area as one of the least economically diverse in the province, making a stable timber supply very important in order to achieve stable employment.
The licensees believe that, based on the results of the timber supply analysis, it is possible to practise responsible forest stewardship and provide for non-timber resources at the same time that jobs are protected.
The District of Houston makes the following comments about socio-economic issues mentioned in the Timber Supply Review documents:
• the reports do not emphasize strongly enough the significance of the forest industry to Houston or to B.C.; forestry is the largest single economic generator in the region.
• public sector employment is less than the 20 per cent shown due to recent reductions by provincial and federal governments; most public sector employment is with the Ministry of Forests.
• tourism, hunting and fishing rely heavily on access provided by logging roads; tourism continues to grow in importance as part of the local economy.
• the District of Houston depends on forestry-related property taxes (from employers and employees) to maintain community services.
• the average income in Houston is the highest of any community in the Bulkley-Nechako Regional District.
• the Socio-Economic Analysis describes consumer-oriented businesses that are tied to the forest industry as "supporting businesses." In fact, as well as servicing the forest industry, these businesses facilitate growth and expansion of the industry, so there is a mutual dependence.
In addition, the District of Houston makes the following points regarding the environment:
• the types of damage to fish habitat described in the Forest Service analysis have not been allowed for several years and will be minimized by the implementation of regulations in the Forest Practices Code.
• grizzly bear populations are increasing throughout the Morice Timber Supply Area.
• the statement that logging changes the natural balance of species following disturbance is misleading; the district says leaving the forest alone can often result in much harsher consequences, e.g., fires in old-growth forests.
• no further reductions to the land base are required to protect older forests.
The individual respondent questions whether sustained fibre production will achieve sustained economic benefit and social objectives. This individual says that since most infrastructure (such as mills and access roads) is already in place, it is possible employment may decrease even with a stable timber supply.
